
                  THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY


                      Index to Exhibits
                              
                              
Exhibit
    No.                    Item                               Page


     12       Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges               E-2

     27       Financial Data Schedule                          E-3


<TABLE>                                                                                                                           
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                                                                                     EXHIBIT 12
<CAPTION>                                                                                                                         
( in thousands )                                                              Three                                Six            
                                                                              months                             months
                                                                              ended                               ended
                                                                             June 30,                           June 30,      
                                                                     1995               1994           1995                 1994

<S>                                                              <C>                <C>           <C>                   <C>
                                                                                                                                  
EARNINGS AS DEFINED:                                                                                                              
Earnings from operations before income taxes after                                                                                
     eliminating undistributed earnings of 20%- to                                                                                
     50%-owned affiliates                                        $   64,827         $   91,190    $     121,916         $  139,864
Fixed charges excluding capitalized interest and                                                                                  
     preferred stock dividends of majority-owned                                                                                  
     subsidiary companies                                             4,114              5,985            8,965             11,985
                                                                                                                                  
Earnings as defined                                              $   68,941         $   97,175    $     130,881         $  151,849
                                                                                                                                  
FIXED CHARGES AS DEFINED:                                                                                                         
Interest expense, including amortization of                                                                                       
     debt issue costs                                            $    2,913         $    4,613    $       6,400         $    9,272
Interest capitalized                                                     54                                  87                   
Portion of rental expense representative                                                                                          
     of the interest factor                                           1,201              1,156            2,565              2,303
Preferred stock dividends of majority-owned                                                                                       
     subsidiary companies                                                20                 20               40                 40
Share of interest expense related to guaranteed debt                                                                              
     50%-owned affiliated company                                                          216                                 410
                                                                                                                                  
Fixed charges as defined                                         $    4,188         $    6,005    $       9,092         $   12,025
                                                                                                                                  
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                                    16.46              16.18            14.40              12.63
                                                                                                                                  
</TABLE>
