The E.W. Scripps Company

One of the largest US local TV broadcasters with significant national network reach, competing for both local and national advertising budgets across linear and streaming platforms.

The E.W. Scripps Company is a diversified media enterprise headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, with roots dating back to 1878. The company operates one of the largest portfolios of local television stations in the United States, reaching approximately 30% of US television households. Its holdings span over 60 local TV stations across major and mid-sized markets, along with national networks including ION Media (acquired in 2021), Bounce TV, Grit TV, Laff, and Court TV, giving it significant scale in both local and national broadcast advertising. In the AdTech ecosystem, Scripps has invested heavily in its Scripps Networks advertising sales division and has embraced connected TV (CTV) and streaming as core growth vectors. The company offers advertisers access to premium local and national inventory across linear TV and streaming platforms, with data-driven targeting capabilities. Its acquisition of ION Media dramatically expanded its national reach and advertising inventory, making it a more formidable player in the national broadcast advertising market. Scripps competes with other major broadcast groups such as Nexstar Media Group, Gray Television, and Tegna for local TV advertising dollars, while also competing with streaming platforms for national brand budgets. The company has faced financial pressures from cord-cutting and shifting ad spend, leading to strategic debt management efforts and asset optimization. Despite these challenges, Scripps remains a significant force in local broadcast advertising and is positioning itself as a CTV-forward media company for the evolving advertising landscape.