E. W. Scripps Company#History

The E. W. Scripps Company was founded as a newspaper company on November 2, 1878, when Edward Willis Scripps published the first issue of the Cleveland Penny Press.{{cite web|title=History – Scripps|publisher=E.W. Scripps Company|url=https://scripps.com/company/history/|access-date=April 18, 2020}}

In 1894, Scripps and his half-brother, George H. Scripps, organized their various papers into the first modern newspaper chain. In July 1895, it was named the Scripps-McRae League to reflect the leadership of Cincinnati Post general manager Milton A. McRae, a longtime partner.{{sfn|McRae|1924|p=119}}{{sfn|Scripps|1926|p=190}} The company expanded during the decade to publish newspapers in California, Denver, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, and elsewhere.

In early November 1922, the Scripps-McRae League was renamed Scripps-Howard Newspapers to recognize company executive Roy W. Howard.{{cite web|title=Syndicate Changes Name|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 4, 1922|page=28|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13484985/}} On November 23, the E. W. Scripps Company was incorporated and placed in trust for Scripps' children and grandchildren.{{cite web|title=Scripps Timeline|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|date=November 29, 1921|access-date=December 30, 2014|url=http://www.scripps.com/scripps-timeline|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090142/http://www.scripps.com/scripps-timeline|archive-date=December 18, 2014}} The company's shares were divided into two types: Class A Common Shares, which were traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and common voting shares, which were not publicly traded and elected a majority of the company's directors (a number of media companies, including the New York Times Company and the Washington Post organization, are governed by this system so that the descendants of the company's founders can keep control of the company). E. W. Scripps died in 1926.

On June 2, 1902, Scripps founded the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), based in Cleveland, Ohio, as a news report service for different Scripps-owned newspapers. It started selling content to non-Scripps owned newspapers in 1907, and by 1909, it became a more general syndicate, offering comics, pictures and features as well. It moved from Cleveland to Chicago in 1915, with an office in San Francisco. NEA rapidly grew and delivered content to 400 newspapers in 1920 and about 700 in 1930.{{cite book |last1=Monmonier |first1=Mark S. |title=Maps with the news: the development of American journalistic cartography |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tx8XR_6IMeAC&q=%22Newspaper+Enterprise+Association%22&pg=PA82 |access-date=August 28, 2009 |year=1989 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-53411-4 |pages=80–83}} Today, it is the oldest syndicate still in operation.

Scripps created the United Press news agency in 1907 by uniting three smaller syndicates and controlled it until a 1958 merger with William Randolph Hearst's smaller competing agency, INS, to form United Press International. With the Hearst Corporation as a minority partner, UPI continued under Scripps management until it was sold off in 1982.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/deadlineeverymin013289mbp | title = Deadline Every Minute The Story of the United Press – ARCHIVE.ORG ONLINE VERSION | year = 1957|author= Joe Alex Morris | publisher = Doubleday & Company }}{{cite web|url=http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=334|work=Ohio History Central|title=Scripps-Howard| publisher=ohiohistory.com }}{{cite web|url=http://100years.upi.com/sta_1907-07-15.html|title=UPI History | work=United Press International }}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/24/books/upi-look-back-in-sorrow.html|title=U.P.I.: Look Back in Sorrow (book review of Down to the Wire: UPI's Fight for Survival By Gregory Gordon and Ronald E. Cohen)|author=Atwater, James D.|date=December 24, 1989|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 15, 2011}} A separate wire service, the Scripps Howard News Service, operated for 96 years from 1917 to 2013.[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-13/scripps-howard-news-service-will-cease-operation-after-96-years Scripps Howard News Service Will Close Down After 96 Years], Bloomberg News, November 13, 2013. Accessed April 5, 2015.

United Feature Syndicate was formed in 1919 as a division of UP to distribute editorial columns, features and comic strips, and became a dominant player in the syndication market in the fall of 1931 thanks to Scripps' acquisition of the New York World, which controlled the Pulitzer company's syndication arms, Press Publishing Co. and World Feature Service.Booker, M. Keith. "United Feature Syndicate," in Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas (ABC-CLIO, 2014), p. 399.Booker, M. Keith. "United Feature Syndicate," in Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas (ABC-CLIO, 2014), p. 399."United Feature Syndicate Buys Metropolitan Service From Elser: Both Firms Will Retain Separate Identities, With Elser Remaining as Vice-President — Monte Bourjaily to Direct Both Organizations," Editor & Publisher (March 15, 1930). Archived at [http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2010/05/news-of-yore-1930-another-syndicate.html?m=1 "News of Yore 1930: Another Syndicate Gobbled,"] Stripper's Guide (May 4, 2010). In May 1978, Scripps merged United Feature Syndicate and Newspaper Enterprise Association to form United Media Enterprises.{{cite news |date= May 19, 1978 |title= News Features Services Merge As United Media |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19780519&id=XV1YAAAAIBAJ&pg=5442,4579037 |newspaper=United Press International |access-date=February 23, 2015 }}"United Features consolidates," The Comics Journal #44 (Jan. 1979), p. 17.

The company expanded its newspaper holdings throughout the pre-World War II period, acquiring many titles and merging them, including the Rocky Mountain News and Knoxville News-Sentinel. A trickle of closures and sales occurred over the next few decades. In 1966, Scripps' New York World-Telegram was merged into the New York World Journal Tribune, which closed in 1967. Papers in Indianapolis, Washington, Houston and Fort Worth were closed in the 1960s and 1970s, and the former flagship Cleveland Press was sold in 1980. Scripps also closed properties in Memphis, Columbus, Thousand Oaks and El Paso throughout the 1980s and 1990s, while selling the Pittsburgh Press in 1992.

In 1985, the company went into home video foray with its acquisition of Kartes Video Communications in an effort to expand the marketplace.{{Cite magazine|last=Seideman|first=Tony|date=November 16, 1985|title=Scripps Howard Buys Kartes|page=35|magazine=Billboard|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1985/1985-11-16-Billboard-Page-0035.pdf|access-date=December 28, 2021}} Two years later, Scripps Howard sold off Kartes Video Communications back to its founders, after an aborted deal where Scripps-Howard's acquisition of Hanes failed.{{Cite magazine|last=Stewart|first=Al|date=December 12, 1987|title=Founder Buys Kartes Vid From Scripps-Howard|page=1|magazine=Billboard|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1987/1987-12-12-Billboard-Page-0001.pdf|access-date=December 28, 2021}}

In 1997, Scripps bought daily newspapers in the Texas cities of Abilene, Wichita Falls, San Angelo and Plano, plus the paper in Anderson, South Carolina, from Harte-Hanks Communications, along with 25 non-daily newspapers and San Antonio-based KENS-TV and KENS-AM.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-20-fi-60697-story.html |title=Scripps to Acquire Harte-Hanks Outlets |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 20, 1997 |access-date=October 14, 2013}} The purchase price was to be between $605 and $775 million, depending on a federal ruling.{{cite news|author=Kenneth N. Gilpin Published: May 20, 1997 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/20/business/scripps-to-buy-harte-hanks-media-assets.html |title=Scripps to Buy Harte-Hanks Media Assets|newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 20, 1997 |access-date=October 14, 2013}} (Scripps eventually spun off all of its newspapers into Journal Media Group in 2015.)

Scripps made its first foray into broadcasting in 1935, forming a company called Continental Radio and buying radio stations WCPO in Cincinnati and WNOX in Knoxville. After the war, In 1947, Scripps opened its first television station, Cleveland-based WEWS-TV, with Memphis-based WMC-TV and Cincinnati-based WCPO-TV in subsequent years. It now owns dozens of TV and radio stations. In the 1980s and 1990s, Scripps became a cable television provider and also developed programming for cable, notably SportSouth (currently FanDuel Sports Network South) in 1990 (in a joint venture with Turner Broadcasting and TCI), Food Network in 1993 and HGTV in 1994. (Scripps spun off its cable properties into Scripps Network Interactive in 2008.)

The company went public with an IPO in 1988 and was traded on the NASDAQ. It owned 20 daily newspapers and 9 television stations at the time, and cable systems in 10 states. The company completed a new downtown Cincinnati headquarters, the 35-story high-rise Scripps Center, in 1990.{{cite news|title=Then & Now: An interactive look at downtown Cincinnati's past|first=Maxim|last=Alter|work=WCPO-TV|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|date=November 7, 2014|access-date=December 30, 2014|url=http://www.wcpo.com/about-us/history/then-now-an-interactive-look-at-downtown-cincinnatis-past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230025152/http://www.wcpo.com/about-us/history/then-now-an-interactive-look-at-downtown-cincinnatis-past|archive-date=December 30, 2014|url-status=dead}} In 1991, Scripps transferred its shares to the New York Stock Exchange.

In October 2007, Scripps announced that it would separate into two publicly traded companies: The E. W. Scripps Company (newspapers, TV stations, licensing/syndication) and Scripps Networks Interactive (HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Cooking Channel (formerly known as Fine Living), Travel Channel and Great American Country). The transaction was completed on July 1, 2008.

After a test launch at WFTS-TV in 2009, Scripps television stations launched YouTube channels in 2010. These are similar to YouTube channels operated by Hearst Television and LIN Television.

On February 24, 2011, United Media struck a distribution deal with Universal Uclick (now known as Andrews McMeel Syndication) for syndication of the company's 150 comic strip and news features, which became effective on June 1 of that year.{{cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/universal-uclick-to-provide-syndicate-services-for-united-media-116811443.html|title=Universal Uclick to Provide Syndicate Services for United Media|publisher=PR Newswire|author=The E.W. Scripps Company|date=February 24, 2011|access-date=February 24, 2011}}{{Unbulleted list citebundle |1=Web: {{cite news |last=Tornoe |first=Rob |date=April 29, 2011 |title=United Media Outsources Content to Universal Uclick |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/united-media-outsources-content-to-universal-uclick,60680 |access-date=2024-09-09 |work=Editor & Publisher}} |2=Print: {{Cite magazine |last=Tornoe |first=Rob |date=April 2011 |title=Universal Uclick takes the reins: 'Pearls Before Swine' and 'Get Fuzzy' have a new home |department=Syndicates |magazine=Editor & Publisher |pages=28-29 |volume=144 |issue=4 |issn=0013-094X |id={{EBSCOhost|65411731}}. {{Gale|A254401909}}. {{ProQuest|864042977}}. |eissn=19437234}} }} At that point, United Media, and by extension the Scripps Company, exited the syndication business.{{cite news |last=Cavna |first=Michael |date= July 1, 2011 |title= RIP, UNITED MEDIA: A century-old syndicate closes its historic doors|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/rip-united-media-a-century-old-syndicate-closes-its-historic-doors/2011/07/01/AGThVctH_blog.html|newspaper=The Washington Post }}

On September 12, 2011, Scripps partnered with Cox Media Group and Raycom Media to launch Right This Minute, a viral video program. On the same day, Scripps launched The List, a news magazine. Both were part of an approach for "homegrown" programming—programming created by Scripps. Raycom also launched America Now on the same day. The creator of RTM and The List applied this "homegrown" programming approach to Tegna in 2015, with the launch of T.D. Jakes. Scripps launched Let's Ask America in 2013 (now cancelled), partnering with Telepictures to do so, and Pickler and Ben in 2017.

On October 3, 2011, Scripps announced it was purchasing the television arm of McGraw-Hill for $212 million.{{cite press release|url=https://scripps.com/press-releases/791-scripps-to-buy-nine-television-stations-from-mcgraw-hill|title= Scripps to buy nine television stations from McGraw-Hill|date=October 3, 2011|publisher=E.W. Scripps Company}} This purchase nearly doubled the number of Scripps stations to 19 with a combined reach of 13% of U.S. households. Upon the 2012 death of E. W. Scripps' grandson, Robert Scripps, the Edward W. Scripps Trust was dissolved and its stock divided among the surviving trustees.{{cite press release |url=http://www.scripps.com/press/details?id=1271 |title=Press Releases | The E.W. Scripps Company |website=Scripps.com |access-date=October 14, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014173723/http://www.scripps.com/press/details?id=1271 |archive-date=October 14, 2013 }}

In December 2013, Scripps purchased Newsy for $35 Million.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/12/09/scripps-buys-newsy-for-35m-to-expand-from-tv-and-newspapers-to-digital-video/|title=Scripps Buys Newsy For $35M To Expand From TV And Newspapers To Digital Video|website=TechCrunch|date=December 9, 2013 |access-date=December 9, 2013}}

On July 30, 2014, Scripps and Journal Communications announced that the two companies would merge and spin-off their newspaper assets. The deal created a broadcast group under the E. W. Scripps Company name and retaining the Cincinnati headquarters, and a newspaper company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under the Journal Media Group name.{{cite news|title=E.W. Scripps, Journal Merging Broadcast Ops|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/78093/ew-scripps-journal-merging-broadcast-ops|access-date=July 31, 2014|work=TVNewsCheck|date=July 30, 2014}} The FCC approved the deal on December 12, 2014, and it was approved by shareholders on March 11, 2015.{{cite web|title=Journal, Scripps shareholders OK transaction; closing expected by early April|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2015/03/11/journal-scripps-shareholders-ok-transaction.html|website=Milwaukee Business Journal|access-date=March 11, 2015}} The merger and spinoff were completed on April 1, 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/scripps-journal-merger-complete/139332|title=Scripps, Journal Merger Complete|website=Broadcastingcable.com|date=April 2015 |access-date=July 18, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.netnewscheck.com/article/39934/scripps-journal-communications-complete-merger-and-spinoff|title=Scripps, Journal Communications Complete Merger And Spinoff|website=Netnewscheck.com|access-date=July 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718174819/http://www.netnewscheck.com/article/39934/scripps-journal-communications-complete-merger-and-spinoff|archive-date=July 18, 2018|url-status=dead}} In turn, Journal Media Group was acquired by Gannett Company on April 8, 2016. Gannett had also shed their television and broadcast operations into a spin-off, Tegna, months after the Scripps-Journal merger.

In April 2016, Demand Media announced the sale of the humor/listicle website Cracked.com to E. W. Scripps.{{cite press release|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160412006681/en/Demand-Media-Sells-Cracked-Business-E.W.-Scripps|title=Demand Media Sells Cracked Business to The E.W. Scripps Company for $39 Million e|website=Business Wire|date=April 12, 2016|access-date=April 27, 2016}} In June, it acquired podcast service Stitcher from Deezer.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/scripps-buys-stitcher-1201789683/|title=Scripps Buys Podcast Service Stitcher from Deezer|first=Janko|last=Roettgers|date=June 6, 2016|website=Variety|access-date=July 18, 2018}}

On August 1, 2017, Scripps announced the purchase of Katz Broadcasting and its three networks plus Bounce which Katz operates, for $292 million, acquiring the other 95% of the company.{{cite news|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/ew-scripps-buys-katz-networks-302m-deal/167592|title=E.W. Scripps Buys Katz Networks in $302M Deal |last=Marszalek|first=Diana|date=August 1, 2017|work=Broadcasting & Cable|access-date=August 2, 2017}} The purchase was completed on October 2, 2017.{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Mark K.|title=E.W. Scripps Closes $302M Katz Purchase|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/107767/ew-scripps-closes-302m-katz-purchase|access-date=November 7, 2017|work=TVNewsCheck.com|date=October 2, 2017|language=en}} On May 22, 2018, Scripps announced that it was changing its common stock listing back from the NYSE to Nasdaq, which occurred on June 4, 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scripps-to-transfer-stock-listing-to-nasdaq-300652902.html|title=Scripps to Transfer Stock Listing to Nasdaq|work=PR Newswire|date=May 22, 2018}}

{{Incomplete list|date=February 2009}}

• United Media (1978–2011), consisted of:
• United Feature Syndicate (est. 1919) – syndicated many notable comic strips, including Peanuts, Garfield, Li'l Abner, Dilbert, Nancy and Marmaduke
• Newspaper Enterprise Association (est. 1902) – originally a secondary news service to the Scripps Howard News Service, later evolved into a general syndicate; best known for syndicating Alley Oop, Freckles and His Friends, The Born Loser and Frank and Ernest, in addition to an annual Christmas comic strip{{cite web|url=http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2007/12/santas-secrets-day-5.html|title=Stripper's Guide: Santa's Secrets, Day 5|website=Strippersguide.blogspot.com |access-date=July 18, 2018}}

The distribution rights to properties syndicated by United Media were outsourced to Universal Uclick in February 2011. While United Media effectively ceased to exist, Scripps still maintains copyrights and intellectual property rights.

Scripps also operated United Press International (United Press from its 1907 inception until a 1958 merger with Hearst's International News Service) until selling it off in 1982.

{{overly detailed|section=yes|date=May 2021}}

Scripps' broadcast television stations division—also commonly known as Scripps Media or Scripps Howard Broadcasting, formerly Continental Radio, currently owns or operates 62 television stations in forty-three markets, with full-power and low-power stations as well as rebroadcaster, translator, repeater and satellite stations included. Among them, nineteen ABC affiliates, twelve CBS affiliates, eleven NBC affiliates, six Fox affiliates, two specialty network affiliated stations, one MyNetworkTV affiliate and five stations independent of any network affiliation.

The company was formed in 1935 when Scripps Howard made its foray into broadcasting by purchasing radio station WDBZ, renaming it WCPO after newspaper The Cincinnati Post.{{cite book|title=Cincinnati Radio|first=Michael A.|last=Martini|location=Charleston, South Carolina|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|year=2011|page=30|isbn=978-0-7385-8864-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4PSXS9LPPyAC&pg=PA30}}

Later on, Scripps purchased radio station, WNOX from the Sterchi Brothers furniture chain.{{cite news|title=WNOX Is Acquired by Scripps-Howard|url=https://archive.org/stream/broadcasting89unse#page/n1131/mode/1up/|page=8|access-date=June 15, 2018|agency=Broadcasting|date=November 1, 1935}}East Tennessee Historical Society, Lucile Deaderick (editor), Heart of the Valley: A History of Knoxville, Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.: East Tennessee Historical Society, 1976), p. 298. In 1936, The Commercial Appeal was purchased by the Scripps Howard newspaper chain, which included the WMC stations.[https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=55377 State of Tennessee Historical Marker, The Commercial Appeal / Publishing Locations.] The Historical Marker Database. In 1937, the Memphis Press-Scimitar bought out WGBC from First Baptist Church of Memphis in 1937 and changed the letters to WMPS.

In 1947, Scripps expanded its broadcast holdings by opening its first television station, Cleveland-based WEWS-TV. This was followed in 1948 by Memphis-based WMC-TV and Cincinnati-based WCPO-TV in 1949.

The company expanded its television holdings in 1961 by purchasing West Palm Beach station WPTV-TV from the Phipps family. It was followed nearly nine years later by its purchase of its Tulsa station KVOO-TV from Central Plains Enterprises. The sale received FCC approval on November 25, 1970, and was finalized the following month on December 31.{{cite web|title=Tulsa VHF Acquired by Scripps-Howard|url=http://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/70-OCR/1970-06-15-BC-OCR-Page-0031.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|via=World Radio History|page=31|date=June 15, 1970|access-date=December 21, 2017}}{{cite web|title=For the Record|url=http://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/70-OCR/1970-07-13-BC-OCR-Page-0066.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|via=World Radio History|page=68|date=July 13, 1970|access-date=December 21, 2017}} On January 1, 1971, the day after the Scripps purchase was completed, the station changed its call letters to KTEW-TV (standing for "Tulsa E.W. Scripps", and also easily interpreted as sounding like the phoneticism for "two"). This change was made due to an FCC rule in effect at the time that banned TV and radio stations in the same market, but with different owners from sharing the same call letters.{{cite web|title=For the Record|url=http://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/70-OCR/1970-11-30-BC-OCR-Page-0055.pdf|periodical=Broadcasting|via=World Radio History|page=55|date=November 30, 1970|access-date=December 21, 2017}}

By 1963, the company has taken on its familiar name Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Company, and made it public.{{Cite web|title=History of The E.W. Scripps Company – FundingUniverse|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/the-e-w-scripps-company-history/|access-date=April 27, 2021|website=www.fundinguniverse.com}}

In 1977, the company expanded its focus onto independent station territory by purchasing KBMA-TV in Kansas City from the Businessmen's Assurance Company of America, but in 1981 the station was renamed to KSHB-TV. Nearly seven years later, in 1984, after Edwin Cooperstein rebuffed a bid from Tribune Company, Scripps immediately purchased independent station, KNXV-TV in Phoenix. To make room for the sale, Scripps was required to divest itself of radio stations KMEO-AM-FM.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33915447/scripps-howard-wins-ok-to-buy-knxv-tv/|access-date=December 16, 2020|title=Scripps-Howard wins OK to buy KNXV-TV|first=Bud|last=Wilkinson|work=Arizona Republic|page=C1}}

Nearly one year later, Scripps purchased ABC station, WXYZ-TV in Detroit, and independent station WFTS-TV in Tampa Bay from Capital Cities Communications as part of a spin-off reorganization, after the FCC felt that the combination of Cap Cities and ABC exceeded the new ownership limit of 12 stations and the 25% national reach limit.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67936982/|title=Ch. 28 sells for $40-million|access-date=January 18, 2021|first=Karl|last=Vick|work=St. Petersburg Times|page=5B|date=July 27, 1985}}{{Cite magazine |date=July 29, 1985 |title=ABC/CCC sells four TV's for $485 million; Detroit, Tampa to Scripps Howard |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1985/BC-1985-07-29.pdf |access-date=2024-09-10 |magazine=Broadcasting |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=30 |publication-place=Washington, D.C. |via=WorldRadioHistory |volume=109 |issue=5 |issn=0007-2028 |id={{Gale|A3872073}}}} On October 9, 1986, two of Scripps' stations in Phoenix and Kansas City became affiliates of the Fox Broadcasting Company television network.{{cite press release|title=Fox Broadcasting Co. reaches affiliate agreements with 79 TV stations to exclusively broadcast offered programming|url=|website=PR Newswire]|date=August 4, 1986}} A third independent station in Tampa Bay joined Fox in 1988 after WTOG-TV disaffiliated from the network.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67938086/|access-date=January 18, 2021|title=Fox switching stations|first=Janis D.|last=Froelich|page=7D|work=St. Petersburg Times|date=July 19, 1988}}

In 1988, the broadcasting division of the company started its own production company Scripps Howard Productions in order to produce and market television programs.

From 1990 to 1995, Scripps was a partner in the regional sports network SportSouth, along with Turner Broadcasting and Tele-Communications, Inc.; in 1996 the network was sold to News Corporation and became Fox Sports South.

In the summer of 1990, Scripps bought out the NBC Baltimore affiliate WMAR-TV from Gillett Communications, but in February 1991 the transfer was canceled after Scripps accused Gillett of misreporting WMAR's financial statements. Gillett then took legal action against Scripps,{{cite web|last=Siegel|first=Eric|title=$154.7 Million Purchase of WMAR-TV is Scrapped|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=February 9, 1991|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1991/02/09/1547-million-purchase-of-wmar-tv-is-scrapped/|access-date=April 27, 2021|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906090504/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-02-09/news/1991040003_1_scripps-howard-wmar-tv-gillett|url-status=live}} but both sides settled and the sale went forward. Scripps took control of the station in the spring of 1991.{{cite web|last=Siegel|first=Eric|title=Final Agreement Reached in Sale of WMAR-TV|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=April 4, 1991|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1991/04/04/final-agreement-reached-in-sale-of-wmar-tv/|access-date=April 27, 2021|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906124511/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-04-04/business/1991094004_1_gillett-scripps-howard-wmar-tv|url-status=live}}

On July 19, 1993, Scripps sold WMC-AM-FM-TV to Atlanta businessman Bert Ellis and his new company, Ellis Communications.{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/07/19/Scripps-to-sell-Memphis-stations-for-65-million/2507743054400/|title=Scripps to sell Memphis stations for $65 million|work=United Press International|date=July 19, 1993|access-date=March 3, 2021}}

In 1994, Scripps acquired the Knoxville-based Cinetel Productions to serve as a production base for a new home lifestyle-oriented cable network, which would eventually launch in December as HGTV. Scripps later acquired a stake in the Food Network, and launched a spin-off of HGTV known as DIY Network.{{cite web|url=http://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/susan-packard-drove-home-hgtvs-culture-while-ratings-sprouted/|title=Susan Packard Drove Home HGTV's Culture While Ratings Sprouted|date=March 24, 2016|work=Investors.com|access-date=October 26, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2016/03/louisville-why-working-women-need-to-think-like.html|title=Susan Packard of HGTV and Scripps Networks Interactive shares advice at Business Women First event|work=Albuquerque Business First|access-date=October 26, 2016}}{{cite news|last1=Lail|first1=Jack D.|title=Scripps family considers offers for Knoxville-based Scripps Networks Interactive|url=http://www.knoxnews.com/story/money/business/2017/07/26/scripps-family-considers-offers-knoxville-based-scripps-networks-interactive/511637001/|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=Knoxville News Sentinel|date=July 26, 2017}}

{{See also|1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment#The Scripps–ABC alliance}}

On May 23, 1994, Fox purchased a 20 percent stake in New World Communications, owner of multiple long-tenured major-market CBS affiliates, in what was a $500 million investment.{{Cite news |last=Dawidziak |first=Mark |date=May 24, 1994 |title=Channel 8 to drop CBS for Fox: 40-year affiliation ends in autumn as Fox owner pays $500 million to station's parent. WJW to regain NFL games, lose Letterman. Channels 19, 43 to fight for CBS |pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-channel-8-to-dr/123747825/ A8] |work=Akron Beacon Journal |location=Akron, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-channel-8-to-dr/123747776/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429190117/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-channel-8-to-dr/123747776/ |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} In turn, 12 stations either owned by—or in the process of being purchased by—New World would switch network affiliations to Fox after existing contracts expired per-station.{{cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=May 24, 1994 |title=FOX WILL SIGN UP 12 NEW STATIONS; TAKES 8 FROM CBS |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/us/fox-will-sign-up-12-new-stations-takes-8-from-cbs.html?pagewanted=4 |url-status=live |access-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625021414/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/us/fox-will-sign-up-12-new-stations-takes-8-from-cbs.html?pagewanted=4 |archive-date=June 25, 2017}}{{cite magazine |last=Foisie |first=Geoffrey |date=May 30, 1994 |title=Fox and the New World order |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-05-30.pdf |url-status=live |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable |volume=124 |issue=22 |pages=6, 8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725013818/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-05-30.pdf |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |access-date=April 25, 2013 |via=World Radio History}} Three of the displaced Fox affiliates were owned by Scripps: KNXV-TV, WFTS-TV and KSHB-TV. This prompted CBS to court Scripps for a deal with KNXV and WFTS, along with long-tenured ABC affiliates WXYZ-TV and WEWS-TV; a proposed deal also included CBS purchasing a minority stake in HGTV.{{cite magazine |last=McClellan |first=Steve |date=June 6, 1994 |title=Counterstrike: CBS targets Scripps |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-06-06.pdf |url-status=live |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable |volume=124 |issue=23 |pages=6, 8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108151238/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-06-06.pdf |archive-date=November 8, 2021 |access-date=October 5, 2022 |via=World Radio History}} ABC's counteroffer to keep WEWS and WXYZ was met with a demand by Scripps that WMAR, WFTS and KNXV also link with ABC.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=William |date=October 29, 1995 |title=Declaration of William Miller |url=https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filing/151886 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630063726/https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filing/151886 |archive-date=June 30, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |website=Comments of Southern Broadcast Corporation of Sarasota |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}{{rp|16}}

The demand came at the expense of two equally long-standing ABC affiliates: WJZ-TV had been with the network since 1948{{Cite news |last=Zurawik |first=David |author-link=David Zurawik |date=June 17, 1994 |title=ABC-TV to switch from WJZ to WMAR |page=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121812166/scripps-abc-tv-to-switch-to-wmar-from-l/ 9A] |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |location= |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121812096/abc-tv-to-switch-from-wjz-to-wmar/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328170026/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121812096/abc-tv-to-switch-from-wjz-to-wmar/ |archive-date=March 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} while KTVK emerged in the 1980s as a market leader for local news, albeit family-owned and not part of a larger chain.{{Cite news |last=Walker |first=Dave |date=June 16, 1994 |title=ABC drops Ch. 3 after 40 years |page=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33050880/abc-to-drop-ch-3-after-40-years/ A15] |work=Arizona Republic |location=Phoenix, Arizona |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33050851/abc-drops-ch-3-after-40-years/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226034726/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33050851/abc-drops-ch-3-after-40-years/ |archive-date=December 26, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |last=Muller |first=Bill |date=June 30, 1994 |title=Family-owned Ch. 3 outmuscled for prize |pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92131509/arizona-republic/ A7] |work=The Arizona Republic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33050928/eye-say-channel-5-called-up-to-majors/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630063726/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33050928/eye-say-channel-5-called-up-to-majors/ |archive-date=June 30, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}} ABC offered $25 million to Scripps to exclude KNXV, which was rejected in what ABC executive Bryce Rathbone stated as Scripps "[having] a gun to their head".{{r|millerdec|page=16}} Announced on June 15, 1994, the ABC-Scripps agreement included all three stations Scripps demanded join the network, along with WEWS and WXYZ.{{cite news |last=Stevenson |first=Jennifer L. |date=June 16, 1994 |title=ABC switching channels in bay area |page=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68960914/ 17A] |work=St. Petersburg Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68960825/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205074413/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68960825/abc-switching-channels-in-bay-area/ |archive-date=February 5, 2022}}{{Cite news |date=June 17, 1994 |title=COMPANY NEWS; TV Stations Shift to ABC |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/17/business/company-news-tv-stations-shift-to-abc.html |url-status=live |access-date=October 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111215200/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/17/business/company-news-tv-stations-shift-to-abc.html |archive-date=November 11, 2012}} For WFTS, the announcement came with an expedited buildout of a news department,{{cite news |last=Belcher |first=Walt |date=June 17, 1994 |title=TV stations focus on change |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68961118/ 10] |work=Tampa Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68961076/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205074415/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68961076/tv-stations-focus-on-change/ |archive-date=February 5, 2022}} with local newscasts debuting the day of their switch.{{cite news |last=Yant |first=Monica |date=December 9, 1994 |title=This just in: Ch. 28 will have news |pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68964645/ 11B] |work=St. Petersburg Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68964406/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205074415/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68964406/this-just-in-ch-28-will-have-news/ |archive-date=February 5, 2022}} The other displaced Fox affiliate, KSHB, affiliated with NBC as a replacement for WDAF-TV.{{Cite magazine |last=McClellan |first=Steve |date=August 1, 1994 |title=Keeping up with the affiliates |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-08-01.pdf |url-status=live |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable |volume=124 |issue=31 |page=11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131030057/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-08-01.pdf |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |access-date=May 4, 2023 |via=World Radio History}} ABC later signed an unrelated affiliation deal with WCPO-TV in September 1995, taking effect on June 3, 1996.{{cite news |last=Harper |first=Paul |date=June 7, 1996 |title=Trading Places: Diary of WCPO Network Switch |pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-post-trading-places-diar/123863381/ 8B] |work=The Cincinnati Post |location=Cincinnati, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-post-trading-places-diar/123863332/ |url-status=live |access-date=May 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501164146/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-post-trading-places-diar/123863332/ |archive-date=May 1, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

In October 1995, Comcast announced the purchase of Scripps' cable provider operation.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/30/business/comcast-to-buy-cable-division-from-scripps.html|title=Comcast to Buy Cable Division From Scripps|work=The New York Times|first=Geraldine|last=Fabrikant|date=October 30, 1995|access-date=April 22, 2014}}

In 1997, Scripps bought daily newspapers in the Texas cities of Abilene, Wichita Falls, San Angelo and Plano, plus the paper in Anderson, S.C. from Harte-Hanks Communications, along with 25 non-daily newspapers and San Antonio-based KENS-TV and KENS. The purchase price was to be between $605 and $775 million, depending on a federal ruling. (Scripps eventually spun off all of its newspapers into Journal Media Group in 2015.)

In March 1996, KSHB owner Scripps Howard Broadcasting reached a deal to manage KMCI under a local marketing agreement.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70624088/|access-date=February 14, 2021|title=Miller Broadcasting Signs Agreement With Scripps For Future Programming|page=8A|work=The Belleville Telescope|date=April 18, 1996}} That August,{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70629526/|title=Channel 38: So long, home shopping; hello, reruns|work=Kansas City Star|first=Howard W. III|last=Triplett|date=August 12, 1996|access-date=February 14, 2021|page=D-6}} KMCI then dropped much of its home shopping programming and rebranded as "38 Family Greats", with a family-oriented general entertainment format from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, with HSN programming being relegated to the overnight hours. The new KMCI lineup included an inventory of programs that KSHB owned but had not had time to air after it switched to NBC in 1994.{{cite news|pages=C-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70627290/ C-4]|work=Kansas City Star|date=May 13, 1996|title=Royals need more TV time|first=Randy|last=Covitz|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70627590/|access-date=February 14, 2021}}

Exercising an option from the 1996 pact with Miller,{{r|future}} Scripps bought KMCI outright for $14.6 million in 2000, forming a legal duopoly with KSHB.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-2000/BC-2000-03-06.pdf|title=Duopoly rule spurs sellers|work=Broadcasting & Cable|first=Elizabeth A.|last=Rathbun|pages=11–12|date=March 6, 2000|access-date=February 14, 2021}} In 1998, the company sold Scripps Howard Productions, and Cinetel Productions was renamed to Scripps Productions.

Scripps also previously owned the Shop at Home Network from 2000 until 2006. Shop at Home in turn owned five television stations, all as a division of its cable network division managed separately from the company's traditional commercial network affiliate stations.

Attempts to use Shop at Home as a complementary service to Food Network and HGTV by selling products connected to personalities of those networks were middling compared to competitors QVC and HSN. On May 22, 2006, Scripps announced that it was to cease operations of the network and intended to sell each of Shop at Home's five owned and operated television stations.{{cite press release |title = Scripps ceasing Shop at Home operations |publisher = E. W. Scripps Company |date = May 16, 2006 |url = http://pressreleases.scripps.com/release/854 |access-date = October 28, 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071117184747/http://pressreleases.scripps.com/release/854 |archive-date = November 17, 2007 |df = mdy-all}} Jewelry Television eventually acquired Shop at Home, but Scripps still intended to sell its affiliated stations (Jewelry Television discontinued most Shop at Home operations in March 2008). On September 26, 2006, Scripps announced that it was selling its Shop at Home TV stations to New York City-based Multicultural Television for $170 million.{{cite press release |title = Scripps sells Shop at Home TV stations |publisher = E. W. Scripps Company |date = September 26, 2006 |url = http://pressreleases.scripps.com/release/877 |access-date = October 28, 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927035508/http://pressreleases.scripps.com/release/877 |archive-date = September 27, 2007 |df = mdy-all}}

In October 2007, Scripps announced that it would separate into two publicly traded companies: The E. W. Scripps Company (newspapers, TV stations, licensing/syndication) and Scripps Networks Interactive (Cooking Channel (formerly known as Fine Living), DIY Network, Food Network, Great American Country, HGTV, and Travel Channel). The transaction was completed on July 1, 2008.{{Cite web| title=Discovery Closes $14.6B Acquisition Of Scripps Networks Interactive| url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/discovery-closes-14-6b-acquisition-of-scripps-networks-interactive-1202312478/#!| access-date=June 5, 2022| website=Deadline| language=en-US| date=March 6, 2018}}

After a test launch at WFTS-TV in 2009, Scripps television stations launched YouTube channels in 2010. These are similar to YouTube channels operated by Hearst Television and LIN Television.

Scripps was the recipient of the 2012 National Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award.{{Cite web|title=NAB Awards {{!}} Past Award Recipients|url=https://www.nab.org/events/awards/pastAwardWinners.asp|access-date=June 22, 2021|website=National Association of Broadcasters|language=en-US}}

On October 3, 2011, Scripps announced it was purchasing all seven television stations owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies for $212 million; the sale is a result of McGraw-Hill's decision to exit the broadcasting industry to focus on its other core properties, including its publishing unit.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/10/03/54440/mcgrawhill-sells-tv-group-to-scripps|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121210175847/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/10/03/54440/mcgrawhill-sells-tv-group-to-scripps|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 10, 2012|title=McGraw-Hill Sells TV Group To Scripps|website=TVNewsCheck|date=October 3, 2011}} This deal was approved by the FTC on October 31{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/475979-FTC_OK_With_Scripps_McGraw_Hill.php|title=FTC OK With Scripps/McGraw-Hill|website=Broadcastingcable.com|access-date=July 18, 2018}} and the FCC on November 29.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/11/29/55706/scripps-purchase-of-mcgrawhill-tvs-okd|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205045133/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/11/29/55706/scripps-purchase-of-mcgrawhill-tvs-okd|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 5, 2013|title=Scripps Purchase of McGraw-Hill TVs OK'd|website=TVNewsCheck|date=November 29, 2011}} The deal was completed on December 30, 2011.{{cite news|title=Scripps completes McGraw-Hill Stations Buy|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/12/30/56389/scripps-completes-mcgrawhill-stations-buy|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913093625/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/12/30/56389/scripps-completes-mcgrawhill-stations-buy|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 13, 2012|access-date=December 31, 2011|newspaper=TVNewsCheck|date=December 30, 2011}}

On February 10, 2014, Scripps announced it has reached a deal to acquire Buffalo ABC affiliate WKBW-TV and Detroit MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYD for $110 million.[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/73998/scripps-buying-granite-tvs-in-buffalo-detroit Scripps Buying Granite TVs in Buffalo, Detroit], TVNewsCheck, Retrieved February 10, 2014 The sale was approved by the FCC on May 2, 2014, and was completed on June 16, 2014. This deal has created a duopoly between WMYD and ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV.

On July 30, 2014, Scripps and Journal Communications announced that the two companies would merge and spin-off their newspaper assets. The deal created a broadcast group under the E. W. Scripps Company name and retaining the Cincinnati headquarters, and a newspaper company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under the Journal Media Group name. The FCC approved the deal on December 12, 2014, and it was approved by shareholders on March 11, 2015. The merger and spinoff were completed on April 1, 2015. In turn, Journal Media Group was acquired by Gannett Company on April 8, 2016. Gannett had also shed their television and broadcast operations into a spin-off, Tegna, months after the Scripps-Journal merger.

On January 25, 2018, it was announced that Scripps had placed its radio station unit for sale. The divestiture of these stations – which were acquired through the company's 2015 acquisition of Journal Communications – would result in the separation of Scripps's television stations in Tulsa, Omaha, Milwaukee, Boise and Tucson from their co-owned radio clusters (in the case of Tulsa, KJRH-TV would be separated from KFAQ for the second time; the two stations, then using the shared KVOO callsign, were first split up in 1970, when Central Plains Enterprises sold the then-KVOO-TV to Scripps).{{Cite news|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/173462/scripps-to-sell-its-radio-stations|title=Scripps To Sell Its Radio Stations|work=All Access|access-date=January 25, 2018|language=en}} In June 2018, Griffin Communications reached a deal to buy the Scripps Tulsa radio cluster. The sale was completed on July 28, 2018. In July 2018, Good Karma Brands reached a deal to buy the Scripps Milwaukee radio cluster. The sale was completed on November 1, 2018.

On August 20, 2018, Scripps agreed to purchase ABC affiliates KXXV in Waco, Texas and satellite station KRHD-CD in Bryan, Texas and WTXL-TV in Tallahassee, Florida, which are being spun off from the Gray Television-Raycom Media merger in order to alleviate ownership conflicts involving Gray's ownership of CBS affiliate KWTX-TV and its semi-satellite KBTX-TV in the Waco market and CBS affiliate WCTV and Retro Television Network affiliate WFXU in the Tallahassee market.{{cite web|title=Tegna, Scripps in Deals to Buy Network Affiliates|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/tegna-scripps-in-deals-to-buy-network-affiliates|author=Jon Lafayette|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|date=August 20, 2018|access-date=August 21, 2018}}{{cite web|title=Gray Spins Land With Lockwood, TEGNA, Scripps|url=https://www.rbr.com/gray-spins-land-with-lockwood-tegna-scripps/|author=Adam Jacobson|website=Radio-Television Business Report|date=August 20, 2018|access-date=August 21, 2018}}

On October 29, 2018, Cordillera Communications announced that it would sell all but one of its television stations to Scripps. KVOA in Tucson, Arizona is not included in the deal as Scripps already owns KGUN-TV and KWBA in that market, and Cordillera will concurrently sell KVOA to Quincy Media.{{cite web|url=https://quincymediacareers.com/quincy-media-news/2018/10/29/quincy-media-inc-to-acquire-kvoa-tv/|title=Quincy Media, Inc. to acquire KVOA-TV|date=October 29, 2018|publisher=Quincy Media|access-date=October 29, 2018|archive-date=October 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029192028/https://quincymediacareers.com/quincy-media-news/2018/10/29/quincy-media-inc-to-acquire-kvoa-tv/|url-status=dead}} The FCC approved the sale on April 5, 2019,[https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/fcc-oks-scripps-purchase-of-cordillera-stations FCC OKs Scripps Purchase of Cordillera Stations], Broadcasting & Cable, April 5, 2019, Retrieved April 5, 2019. and the sale was completed on May 1.{{cite web |url=http://www.scripps.com/press-releases/1243-scripps-closes-its-acquisition-of-15-television-stations-from-cordillera-communications |title=Scripps Closes Its Acquisition of 15 Television Stations from Cordillera Communications |date=May 1, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501191117if_/http://www.scripps.com/press-releases/1243-scripps-closes-its-acquisition-of-15-television-stations-from-cordillera-communications |publisher=E. W. Scripps Company |archive-date=May 1, 2019 }}

On March 20, 2019, Scripps announced that it would acquire eight of the 21 (initially 19{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/nexstar-selling-stations-in-indianapolis-for-42-5m|title=Nexstar Selling Stations in Indianapolis for $42.5M|website=Broadcasting & Cable|date=April 8, 2019|access-date=September 20, 2019}}) stations being divested as part of Nexstar Media Group's $580 million (USD) acquisition of Tribune Media. The Tribune stations include CBS affiliates WTKR in Norfolk and WTVR-TV in Richmond—both in Virginia, along with Fox affiliates KSTU in Salt Lake City, Utah and WXMI in Grand Rapids, Michigan and CW affiliates WPIX in New York City, WGNT in Norfolk, Virginia and WSFL-TV in Miami, Florida. The only Nexstar station being acquired is CW affiliate KASW in Phoenix, Arizona—which would create a duopoly with longtime Scripps-owned ABC affiliate KNXV-TV. Also, Nexstar has the option to buy WPIX back between March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.multichannel.com/news/scripps-tegna-to-buy-19-nexstar-stations|title=Scripps, Tegna to Buy 19 Nexstar Stations|last=Farrell|first=Mike|website=Multichannel|date=March 20, 2019 |language=en-us|access-date=March 20, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.scripps.com/press-releases/1232-scripps-to-acquire-eight-television-stations-from-nexstar-tribune-merger-divestitures|title=Scripps to acquire eight television stations from Nexstar-Tribune merger divestitures|last=Wethington|first=Kari|website=Scripps|language=en-us|date=March 20, 2019|access-date=September 20, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/232391/nexstar-selling-19-tvs-in-15-markets-for-1-32b|title=Nexstar Selling 19 TVs In 15 Markets For $1.32B|website=TVNewsCheck|date=March 20, 2019|access-date=September 20, 2019}} The FCC approved the sale on September 16 with all of the transactions being completed on September 19.[https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-19-89A1.pdf "Memorandum Opinion and Order"], Federal Communications Commission, September 16, 2019, Retrieved September 16, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar_completes_tribune_transaction_2019|title=Nexstar Media Group Completes Tribune Media Acquisition Creating The Nation's Largest Local Television Broadcaster|website=Nexstar Media Group, Inc.|date=September 19, 2019|access-date=September 20, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/nexstar-completes-tribune-media-acquisition|title=Nexstar Completes Tribune Media Acquisition|website=TV Technology|date=September 20, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/nexstar-completes-acquisition-of-tribune-station-group|title=Nexstar Completes Acquisition of Tribune Station Group|website=Broadcasting & Cable|date=September 19, 2019|access-date=September 20, 2019}}{{cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scripps-closes-acquisition-of-eight-tv-stations-from-nexstar-tribune-merger-divestitures-300922019.html|title=Scripps closes acquisition of eight TV stations from Nexstar-Tribune merger divestitures|website=PR Newswire|publisher=The E.W. Scripps Company|date=September 19, 2019|access-date=September 20, 2019}}

In July 2020, the company sold their Stitcher podcast service and assets to Sirius XM for $325 million.{{Cite web |last=Carman |first=Ashley |date=July 13, 2020 |title=SiriusXM is buying Stitcher for $325 million |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/13/21315911/siriusxm-stitcher-podcast-deal-buy-midroll-earwolf |access-date=July 14, 2020 |website=The Verge |language=en}}

On September 22, 2020, the company announced it was buying KCDO-TV and KSBS-CD from Newsweb Corporation for $9.5 million, pending approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); this would make them sister stations to ABC affiliate KMGH-TV.{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1821501&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=63158|title=Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=September 22, 2020|access-date=September 25, 2020|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624202449/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1821501&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=63158|url-status=dead}} For the time being, KCDO has moved Grit to its primary 3.1 subchannel. The sale was completed on November 20.[https://web.archive.org/web/20240613005719/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1823557&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=63158 "Consummation Notice"], CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, November 23, 2020, Retrieved November 23, 2020.

On September 24, 2020, Scripps announced the acquisition of American media company Ion Media, including its networks, Ion Television, Ion Plus, Qubo, and Ion Shop (three removed a few months later) for $2.65 billion.[https://web.archive.org/web/20200924140409/https://deadline.com/2020/09/e-w-scripps-buys-ion-media-for-2-65b-with-berkshire-hathaway-investment-1234583423/ "E.W. Scripps Buys ION Media For $2.65B, With Berkshire Hathaway Investment"], Deadline Hollywood, September 24, 2020, Retrieved September 24, 2020.

Scripps finally completed its sale of WPIX to Mission Broadcasting on December 30, 2020, which will also allow the company to keep three of the Ion stations that were slated to be sold to a new company, Inyo Broadcast Holdings. The sales of WPPX-TV in Philadelphia, KKPX-TV in San Francisco and KPXM-TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota were contingent on whether or not the sale of WPIX would close and be finalized before Scripps completed its acquisition of Ion Media.{{Cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Adam|date=December 16, 2020|title=Ion/Scripps' Fourth Amendment: TV Trio Not Going To INYO|url=https://www.rbr.com/ion-scripps-fourth-amendment-tv-trio-not-going-to-inyo/|access-date=December 30, 2020|website=Radio & Television Business Report|publisher=Streamline Publishing, Inc.|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Wethington|first=Kari|date=December 30, 2020|title=SCRIPPS COMPLETES SALE OF WPIX|url=https://www.scripps.com/press-releases/scripps-completes-sale-of-wpix|access-date=December 30, 2020|website=Scripps|publisher=The E.W. Scripps Company|language=en}}

On October 2, 2024, E.W. Scripps Co. announced that it was laying off more than 200 people as it makes major cutbacks to its national news unit.{{Cite news |last=Watkins |first=Steve |date=October 2, 2024 |title=E.W. Scripps laying off more than 200 as it cuts back its national news operation |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/10/02/ew-scripps-layoffs-national-news-revenue-politics.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-10-02 |work=Cincinnati Business Courier |department=Media & Marketing |publisher=American City Business Journals |edition=Afternoon}}

{{Main|Scripps Sports}}

File:Scripps Sports Logo.webp

In late 2022, Scripps created an in-house sports division with the intent of offering its local stations or Ion to teams and leagues as an alternative to the fledgling regional sports network.{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=December 15, 2022|title=E.W. Scripps announces formation of new sports division|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/ew-scripps-announces-formation-new-sports-division-95391237|access-date=December 16, 2022|website=ABC News|publisher=The Walt Disney Company|language=en}} The division, eventually called Scripps Sports, announced on April 20, 2023, a deal with Ion and the WNBA for a broadcast package airing on Friday nights during the regular season, with "WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on Ion" featuring both national and regional telecasts. It marked the WNBA's first agreement with an over-the-air broadcast network other than ABC since 2002, the last year of NBC's tenure as the league's primary broadcast partner.

On May 4, 2023, Scripps Sports announced a deal with a professional sports franchise, the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, with ION affiliate KMCC serving as the flagship of a regional network of stations that would broadcast all non-exclusive regular-season games beginning with the 2023–24 season. KMCC also transferred its Ion Television programming to a subchannel and rebrand as an independent station, with KUPX-TV doing the same. Scripps also did not renew the affiliations with the CW on its second subchannels for its statewide Montana Television Network and converted them to independent stations to accommodate the broadcasts.{{cite web | url=https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/vgk-and-scripps-partner-on-multi-year-agreement-to-air-nhl-teams-games/c-344154412 | title=VGK and Scripps Partner on Multi-Year Agreement to Air NHL Team's Games | date=May 4, 2023 }}

On October 5, 2023, Scripps Sports announced a deal with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, with ABC affiliate KNXV's sub-channel Antenna TV (15.2) serving as the flagship network for all non-national exclusive games in the Phoenix market beginning with the 2023–24 season. The 2nd digital subchannel of KGUN-TV, in Tucson, as well as KUPX and the 2nd digital subchannel of KSTU, in Salt Lake City, also air Coyotes games.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-06 |title=Arizona Coyotes, Scripps Sports Form Multi-Year Broadcast Partnership {{!}} Arizona Coyotes |url=https://www.nhl.com/coyotes/news/coyotes-scripps-sports-form-broadcast-partnership |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=www.nhl.com |language=en}}

On July 2, Scripps Sports, the sports division of the E. W. Scripps Company, announced a deal with the Florida Panthers, which would put games over the air on WSFL-TV beginning in the 2024–25 season.{{Cite web|title=Florida Panthers, Scripps Sports partner on multi-year agreement to air National Hockey League team's games|url=https://www.nhl.com/panthers/news/florida-panthers-scripps-sports-partner-on-multi-year-agreement-to-air-national-hockey-league-team-s-game|access-date=July 2, 2024 |website=NHL.com}}

Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and by city of license.

• A blue background indicates a station acquired from Journal Communications.
• A lavender blue background indicates a station acquired from McGraw-Hill.
• A gray background indicates a station acquired from Cordillera Communications.
• An orange background indicates a station acquired from Ion Media and currently in the Ion Media unit of Scripps Networks, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scripps.
• (**) – Indicates station was built and signed on by Scripps.

• (**) – Indicates station was built and signed on by Scripps.

{{main|Scripps National Spelling Bee}}

Scripps also operates the national (US) spelling bee. The final competition is in Washington, DC, and it is broadcast on Ion Television and Bounce TV. Lower levels are organized by the school, then county and eventually to the final competition.

{{notelist-lr}}

{{notelist-lg}}

{{notelist-ua}}

{{notelist}}

• Edward W. Scripps
• Ellen Browning Scripps
• James E. Scripps
• Charles Scripps
• Scripps News
• Scripps Networks
• Scripps Howard Foundation
• Scripps Howard Awards
• Scripps Ranch
• Edward W. Estlow
• Scripps Networks Interactive

{{reflist|

refs=

{{cite news

| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/business/media/media-companies-spin-off-newspapers-to-uncertain-futures.html?src=me

| title = Print Is Down, and Now Out: Media Companies Spin Off Newspapers, to Uncertain Futures

| newspaper = The New York Times

| first = David| last = Carr

| date = August 11, 2014

| page = B1

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140811150417/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/business/media/media-companies-spin-off-newspapers-to-uncertain-futures.html?src=me

| archive-date = August 11, 2014

| url-status = live

| quote = Turns out, not so much – quite the opposite, really. The Washington Post seems fine, but recently, in just over a week, three of the biggest players in American newspapers – Gannett, Tribune Company and E. W. Scripps, companies built on print franchises that expanded into television – dumped those properties like yesterday's news in a series of spinoffs.

}}

}}

• {{cite book|title=E.W. Scripps and the Business of Newspapers|first=Gerald J.|last=Baldasty|location=Champaign, Illinois|publisher=University of Illinois Press|date=January 1, 1999|isbn=0-252-02255-6|url=https://archive.org/details/ewscrippsbusi00bald|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/ewscrippsbusi00bald/page/83 83|ref=none]}}
• {{cite book|title=Forty Years in Newspaperdom: The Autobiography of a Newspaper Man|first=Milton Alexander|last=McRae|author-link=Milton A. McRae|location=New York City|publisher=Brentano's|year=1924|via=HathiTrust|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031001863;view=1up;seq=81}}
• {{cite book|title=History of the Scripps Concern|first=Edward Willis|last=Scripps|author-link=E. W. Scripps|editor-first=Gilson|editor-last=Gardner|year=1926|url=http://media.library.ohiou.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/scripps/id/8929/rec/1|access-date=December 30, 2014|archive-date=November 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129092014/http://media.library.ohiou.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/scripps/id/8929/rec/1|url-status=dead}}

{{Commons category|E. W. Scripps Company}}

• {{Official website|www.scripps.com}}

{{Finance links

| name = E. W. Scripps Company

| symbol = SSP

| reuters = SSP.O

| bloomberg = SSP:US

| sec_cik = 832428

| yahoo = SSP

| google = SSP:NASDAQ

}}

{{White House James S. Brady Press Briefing Room seating chart}}

{{EWS CORP}}

{{Sports television in the United States}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Mass media companies of the United States

Category:Mass media companies established in 1878

Category:Publishing companies established in 1878

Category:American companies established in 1878

Category:Newspaper companies of the United States

Category:Television broadcasting companies of the United States

Scripps

Category:1878 establishments in Ohio

Category:1980s initial public offerings

Category:Radio broadcasting companies of the United States

Category:Companies listed on the Nasdaq

Category:Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange