
<PAGE>   1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June  2, 1994
                                                                  ---
                                                       Registration No. 33-
                                                                           ----
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                ----------------    
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933
                                ----------------
                            THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


<TABLE>
<S>                                                      <C>
                   Delaware                                  51-0304972
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation              (I.R.S. Employer
                 or organization)                          Identification No.)

1105 N. Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware                     19801
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                   (Zip Code)

</TABLE>
                           
                                ----------------

                            THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY
                         1987 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN,
                            AS AMENDED AND RESTATED
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                ----------------
                              
                              M. DENISE KUPRIONIS
                                   Secretary
                            The E.W. Scripps Company
                             1105 N. Market Street
                           Wilmington, Delaware 19801
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (302) 478-4141
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
                                
                                ----------------

<TABLE>
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<CAPTION>
                                                                           
=========================================================================
Title of           Amount           Proposed   Proposed     Amount of
securities to      to be            maximum    maximum      registration
be registered      registered(1)    offering   aggregate    fee
                                    price per  offering   
                                    share      price(2)          
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                <C>              <C>        <C>          <C>
                                                           
Class A Common                                             
Stock                                                      
$.01 par value     750,000          $26.76     $20,066,250   $6,920
                                                             
=========================================================================
                                                                
<FN>                                                                   
(1)      Also includes an indeterminable number of additional shares that may
         become issuable pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.
(2)      Estimated in accordance with Rule 457 solely for the purpose of
         determining the registration fee, based on the average of the high and
         low reported sale prices on May 26, 1994, of the registrant's Class A
         Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   2
                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                 The shares of Class A Common Stock registered by the E.W.
Scripps Company (the "Company") pursuant to this Registration Statement will be
issued under the Company's 1987 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "Plan").

                 In Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-32740),
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-35525), Registration Statement on
Form S-8 (No. 33-47828) and Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-63398),
the Company previously registered an aggregate of 2,380,000 shares of Class A
Common Stock for issuance under the Plan, in each case as subsequently adjusted
for stock splits and stock dividends.  The contents of such Registration
Statements are incorporated by reference herein.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

                 The legality of the Common Shares offered hereby has been
passed upon for the Company by Baker & Hostetler, Cleveland, Ohio.  John H.
Burlingame, a director of the Company, is a partner of Baker & Hostetler.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

Exhibit Number                    Description of Exhibit
- --------------                    ----------------------
     
     4                            The E.W. Scripps Company 1987 Long-Term
                                  Incentive Plan, as Amended and Restated

     5                            Opinion of Baker & Hostetler as to legality
                                  of the shares of Class A Common Stock 
                                  being registered

    23(a)                         Consent of Deloitte & Touche

    23(b)                         Consent of Baker & Hostetler (included in
                                  Opinion filed as Exhibit 5 hereto)

    24                            Powers of Attorney





                                      II-1
<PAGE>   3
                                   SIGNATURES


                 THE REGISTRANT.  Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds
to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cincinnati, State of
Ohio on May 31, 1994.

                                        THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY


                                        By             *        
                                           -----------------------------
                                           Lawrence A. Leser, President


                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
this registration statement has been signed on May 31, 1994 by the following
persons in the capacities indicated below.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>                           
        Signature                   Title
        ---------                   -----
     <S>                        <C>
               *                
- -----------------------------   Director; Chairman of the                       
     Charles E. Scripps         Board
                             
                             
                             
               *                
- -----------------------------   Director; President and Chief      
     Lawrence A. Leser          Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
                             
                             
                             
               *               
- -----------------------------   Senior Vice President, Finance       
     Daniel J. Castellini       & Administration (Principal Financial and 
                                Accounting Officer)
                             
                             
               *                
- -----------------------------   Director        
     Robert P. Scripps       
                             
                             
               *               
- -----------------------------   Director        
     William R. Burleigh     
                             
                             
               *                
- -----------------------------   Director        
     Paul K. Scripps         
                             
                             
               *              
- -----------------------------   Director        
     John H. Burlingame      
                                    
                                    
</TABLE>



                                      II-2
<PAGE>   4


<TABLE>
     <S>                             <C>
               *                     
- ---------------------------------    Director        
     Nicholas B. Paumgarten      
                                 
                                 
               *                     
- ---------------------------------    Director        
     Daniel J. Meyer             
                                 
                                 
               *                    
- ---------------------------------    Director        
     David R. Huhn               
                                 
                                 
<FN>
*        William Appleton, by signing his name hereto, does sign this
         Registration Statement on behalf of the persons indicated above
         pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by such persons and filed
         as Exhibits to this Registration Statement.



By:  /s/ William Appleton
     ---------------------------------------
     William Appleton, Attorney-in-Fact

</TABLE>




                                      II-3
<PAGE>   5
<TABLE>
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------

<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER           EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION
- ------           -------------------
  <S>            <C>
  4              The E.W. Scripps Company 1987 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as Amended and Restated

  5              Opinion of Baker & Hostetler as to legality of
                 the Common Shares being registered

  23(a)          Consent of Deloitte & Touche

  23(b)          Consent of Baker & Hostetler (included in
                 Opinion filed as Exhibit 5 hereto)

  24             Powers of Attorney
</TABLE>
