Scripps E W Co Ohio Stock Price, News & Analysis

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) has secured a new multi-year agreement with the WNBA to continue broadcasting Friday night games on ION network. ION, which reaches over 128 million homes through various platforms, will remain the league's Friday night national network home. The network currently broadcasts 50 regular season games through its WNBA Friday Night Spotlight series, including the WNBA on ION Studio Show. The renewal follows impressive 2024 viewership metrics, with average viewership increasing 133% year-over-year and attracting over 23 million unique viewers. ION's extensive reach includes pay TV, connected TV, free ad-supported streaming platforms, and over-the-air broadcasting.

The Scripps Howard Fund has announced winners of the 72nd Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, recognizing outstanding journalism across 12 categories. The competition awarded $140,000 in total prize money to winning news organizations and journalists. STAT received the prestigious Impact Award for their investigation 'Health Care's Colossus' which exposed UnitedHealth's practices of monetizing patients and reducing competition. Other notable winners include KUOW Public Radio for Audio Storytelling, The Boston Globe for Business Reporting, and FRONTLINE PBS for Local Video Storytelling. The awards showcase impactful journalism ranging from financial mismanagement investigations to environmental reporting and human interest storytelling. Winners will receive prize money, trophies, and travel stipends to present their work to journalism students at participating universities.

Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, won the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling 'éclaircissement' in round 21. This marks Zaki's fourth participation in the competition, having finished second in 2024, 21st in 2023, and 370th in 2019. As champion, Zaki receives a $50,000 cash prize from Scripps, along with additional prizes including $2,500 from Merriam-Webster and other rewards. Sarvadnya Kadam from California placed second, winning $25,000, while Sarv Dharavane from Georgia secured third place with $15,000. The 97th edition of the competition featured 242 spellers and was broadcast on Scripps Networks, including ION, Bounce, and other channels.

E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) has announced its participation in the Gabelli 17th Annual Media & Sports Symposium on June 5, 2025, at The Harvard Club in New York City. Chief Financial Officer Jason Combs and Chief Communications and Investor Relations Officer Carolyn Micheli will deliver a presentation at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time, followed by investor meetings. The event will be webcast live with required registration, and a replay will be available on the company's website under the investor information section.

Scripps (NASDAQ: SSP) has partnered with FreeWheel to enhance advertising opportunities across women's sports content on ION network. The partnership focuses on WNBA and NWSL games, alongside original programming like "State Farm® WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION." Key highlights include:

- CTV monetization for NWSL on ION increased over 200% in the first eight weeks vs last season - WNBA Friday Night Spotlight viewership increased by 133% in 2024 over 2023, attracting 23 million unique viewers - ION secured exclusive television rights to the SI Women's Games and Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip Off tournament - Over two dozen new brands began advertising with Scripps last year

FreeWheel's enhanced product suite will support programmatic advertising growth across sports and live events in streaming, featuring expedited creative pre-approvals and tools for real-time viewership management.

The Tampa Bay Lightning has signed a multi-year media rights agreement with Scripps Sports (NASDAQ: SSP) starting with the 2025-26 NHL season. Scripps will produce and distribute all preseason, regular season, and first-round playoff Lightning games not exclusively allocated to national broadcasts. The games will air on WXPX-TV, branded as "The Spot – Tampa Bay 66," a new full-power local station launching July 1, 2025. The partnership includes both traditional broadcasting and a new direct-to-consumer streaming experience through the Lightning app, powered by ViewLift. Scripps Sports already holds similar media rights agreements with other NHL teams including the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, and Utah Mammoth.

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) reported Q1 2025 financial results with revenue of $524 million, down 6.6% year-over-year, and a net loss of $18.8 million or $0.22 per share. The company's Local Media segment revenue declined 7.8% to $325 million, while Scripps Networks revenue decreased 5.4% to $198 million. However, Scripps Networks achieved improved margins of 32% due to connected TV revenue growth and cost savings.

Notable achievements include completing negotiations for 25% of pay TV households, successful refinancing of term loans and credit facilities, and real estate sales generating $63 million. The company's net leverage ratio stood at 4.9x, with total debt at $2.6 billion. Scripps secured new sports content partnerships, including deals with Sports Illustrated for the SI Women's Games and the Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is celebrating its historic 100th anniversary with 243 top young spellers competing from May 27-29, 2025, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. The field includes spellers aged 8-14 from all 50 states and international locations. Notable participants include Faizan Zaki, last year's runner-up, and Tarini Nandakumar, competing in her fifth consecutive Bee. The competition will be broadcast across Scripps Networks, with finals airing live on ION. To mark the centennial, Scripps is launching several initiatives including a historical microsite, a limited-edition book, and a museum exhibit. Additionally, the new "Beelieve" program, supported by a $100,000 annual donation from the Adam R. Scripps Foundation, aims to increase access to the Bee at every level.

Scripps Sports has announced its 2025 WNBA broadcast plans featuring State Farm® WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION, which will air 50 regular-season games - the most in television history. ION reaches over 128 million homes across multiple platforms. The season kicks off on May 16 with a doubleheader featuring No.1 draft pick Paige Bueckers' Dallas Wings debut and the inaugural game of the Golden State Valkyries. The broadcast package includes the WNBA on ION Studio Show, featuring host Larry Smith and analysts Autumn Johnson and Meghan McKeown. Notable matchups include Kelsey Plum's return to Las Vegas, Caitlin Clark vs Paige Bueckers, and the first international regular-season game in Vancouver. The previous season saw impressive growth with a 133% increase in viewership and over 23 million unique viewers.