Exhibit 99
PRESS RELEASE
Scripps reports November revenues
| For immediate release |
(NYSE: SSP) | |
| Dec. 13, 2004 |
CINCINNATI – The E. W. Scripps Company’s consolidated revenue for November increased 12 percent year-over-year to $197 million.
Revenue for the company’s fastest growing division, Scripps Networks, was up 26 percent to $67.9 million. November advertising revenue at Scripps Networks was up 20 percent and affiliate fee revenue increased 58 percent. Scripps Networks includes the company’s portfolio of national cable and satellite television networks, including Home & Garden Television, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country (GAC).
HGTV and Food Network can be seen in 87 million and 86 million U.S. television households, respectively. DIY Network reaches about 30 million households and Fine Living can be seen in about 24 million households. GAC reached 36 million U.S. households in November, up 38 percent for the month year-over-year.
At the company’s newspapers, November revenue was $62.6 million, down 5.3 percent from the same month a year ago. November 2004 had four Sundays compared with five Sundays in 2003. Newspaper revenue for October and November combined was up 1.2 percent.
Newspaper advertising revenue in November, by category, was:
| • | Local, down 6 percent to $15.7 million. |
| • | Classified, down 8.8 percent to $16.7 million. |
| • | National, up 2.0 percent to $3.9 million. |
| • | Preprint and other, up 0.8 percent to $14.0 million. |
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The company’s share of profits from its four joint newspaper operations, before editorial costs, was $8.4 million compared to $9.8 million in November 2003. The decline includes the effect of one fewer Sunday in November 2004.
November revenue at Shop at Home Network, the company’s television retailing subsidiary, was up 34 percent to $25.4 million. Shop at Home could be seen in 53 million television households in November, up 18 percent from the same month in 2003.
At the company’s broadcast television stations (excluding Shop At Home affiliated stations) revenue for the month was up 8.0 percent to $30.6 million. Broadcast television revenue reflects $1.8 million in political advertising during the month. Broadcast TV political advertising revenue was about $300,000 during the same month a year ago. Other than political, broadcast television advertising revenue, broken down by category, was:
| • | Local, up 4.6 percent to $17.3 million. |
| • | National, up 1.3 percent to $10.3 million. |
| • | Other, down 8.4 percent to $1.2 million. |
About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company is a diverse media concern with interests in national lifestyle television networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television, television retailing, interactive media and licensing and syndication. All of the company’s media businesses provide content and advertising services via the Internet.
Scripps is organized into the following operating divisions.
Scripps Networks, including the company’s growing portfolio of popular lifestyle television networks. Scripps Networks brands include Home & Garden Television, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country (GAC). Scripps Networks Web sites include FoodNetwork.com, HGTV.com, DIYnetwork.com, fineliving.com and gactv.com. Scripps Networks programming can be seen in 86 countries.
Scripps Newspapers, including daily and community newspapers in 19 markets and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center, home to the Scripps Howard News Service. Scripps newspapers include the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, the Commercial Appeal in Memphis, the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel and the Ventura County (Calif.) Star.
Scripps Television Station Group, including six ABC-affiliated stations, three NBC affiliates and one independent. Scripps operates broadcast television stations in Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Phoenix, Tampa, Baltimore, Kansas City, Mo., West Palm Beach, Fla., Tulsa, Okla., and Lawrence, Kan.
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Shop at Home Network, the company’s television retailing subsidiary, which markets a growing range of consumer goods directly to television viewers and visitors to the Shop At Home Web site, shopathometv.com. Shop At Home reaches about 53 million full-time equivalent U.S. households, including 5 million households via five Scripps-owned Shop At Home affiliated television stations.
United Media, a leading licensing and syndication company. United Media is the worldwide licensing and syndication home of Peanuts, Dilbert and about 150 other features and characters.
###
Contact: Tim Stautberg, The E. W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3826
Email: stautberg@scripps.com
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| THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY | For more information: | |
| Unaudited Revenue and Statistical Summary |
Tim Stautberg | |
| Period: November |
The E.W. Scripps Company | |
| Report date: December 13, 2004 |
513-977-3826 |
| ( amounts in millions, unless otherwise noted ) |
November |
Year-to-date |
||||||||||||||||
| 2004 |
2003 |
% |
2004 |
2003 |
% |
|||||||||||||
| SEGMENT OPERATING REVENUES |
||||||||||||||||||
| Newspapers |
$ | 62.6 | $ | 66.1 | (5.3 | )% | $ | 645.0 | $ | 633.8 | 1.8 | % | ||||||
| Scripps Networks |
67.9 | 54.0 | 25.8 | % | 652.0 | 485.8 | 34.2 | % | ||||||||||
| Broadcast Television |
30.6 | 28.3 | 8.0 | % | 317.0 | 279.4 | 13.5 | % | ||||||||||
| Shop At Home |
25.4 | 19.0 | 34.0 | % | 253.5 | 209.0 | 21.3 | % | ||||||||||
| Licensing and Other Media |
10.2 | 9.0 | 13.3 | % | 94.4 | 95.2 | (0.8 | )% | ||||||||||
| TOTAL |
$ | 196.8 | $ | 176.4 | 11.5 | % | $ | 1,961.9 | $ | 1,703.1 | 15.2 | % | ||||||
| NEWSPAPERS (1) |
||||||||||||||||||
| Operating Revenues |
||||||||||||||||||
| Local |
$ | 15.7 | $ | 16.7 | (6.0 | )% | $ | 151.5 | $ | 152.0 | (0.3 | )% | ||||||
| Classified |
16.7 | 18.3 | (8.8 | )% | 199.6 | 195.0 | 2.4 | % | ||||||||||
| National |
3.9 | 3.8 | 2.0 | % | 36.6 | 35.6 | 2.9 | % | ||||||||||
| Preprints and other |
14.0 | 13.9 | 0.8 | % | 121.8 | 113.9 | 6.9 | % | ||||||||||
| Newspaper advertising |
50.3 | 52.7 | (4.6 | )% | 509.5 | 496.4 | 2.6 | % | ||||||||||
| Circulation |
10.7 | 11.8 | (10.0 | )% | 120.3 | 124.4 | (3.3 | )% | ||||||||||
| Other |
1.6 | 1.5 | 7.9 | % | 15.2 | 12.9 | 17.3 | % | ||||||||||
| Newspapers |
$ | 62.6 | $ | 66.1 | (5.3 | )% | $ | 645.0 | $ | 633.8 | 1.8 | % | ||||||
| Ad inches (excluding JOAs) (in thousands) |
||||||||||||||||||
| Local |
679 | 685 | (0.8 | )% | 6,572 | 6,540 | 0.5 | % | ||||||||||
| Classified |
802 | 901 | (10.9 | )% | 9,576 | 9,687 | (1.2 | )% | ||||||||||
| National |
129 | 124 | 4.2 | % | 1,202 | 1,214 | (1.0 | )% | ||||||||||
| Full run ROP |
1,611 | 1,710 | (5.8 | )% | 17,350 | 17,440 | (0.5 | )% | ||||||||||
| Share of JOA operating profits (2) |
$ | 8.4 | $ | 9.8 | (14.3 | )% | $ | 68.9 | $ | 70.9 | (2.8 | )% | ||||||
| SCRIPPS NETWORKS |
||||||||||||||||||
| Operating Revenues |
||||||||||||||||||
| Advertising |
$ | 54.7 | $ | 45.5 | 20.2 | % | $ | 515.3 | $ | 395.5 | 30.3 | % | ||||||
| Affiliate fees, net |
12.2 | 7.7 | 58.2 | % | 128.6 | 84.4 | 52.3 | % | ||||||||||
| Other |
0.9 | 0.7 | 29.4 | % | 8.1 | 5.9 | 38.2 | % | ||||||||||
| Scripps Networks |
$ | 67.9 | $ | 54.0 | 25.8 | % | $ | 652.0 | $ | 485.8 | 34.2 | % | ||||||
| Subscribers (3) |
||||||||||||||||||
| HGTV |
87.4 | 84.4 | 3.6 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Food Network |
85.7 | 82.8 | 3.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Great American Country |
36.3 | 26.4 | 37.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
| BROADCAST TELEVISION |
||||||||||||||||||
| Operating Revenues |
||||||||||||||||||
| Local |
$ | 17.3 | $ | 16.6 | 4.6 | % | $ | 168.6 | $ | 169.1 | (0.3 | )% | ||||||
| National |
10.3 | 10.1 | 1.3 | % | 91.6 | 92.5 | (1.0 | )% | ||||||||||
| Political |
1.8 | 0.3 | 41.5 | 3.1 | ||||||||||||||
| Other |
1.2 | 1.3 | (8.4 | )% | 15.2 | 14.6 | 4.2 | % | ||||||||||
| Broadcast Television |
$ | 30.6 | $ | 28.3 | 8.0 | % | $ | 317.0 | $ | 279.4 | 13.5 | % | ||||||
| SHOP AT HOME |
||||||||||||||||||
| Operating Revenues |
||||||||||||||||||
| Shop At Home |
$ | 25.4 | $ | 19.0 | 34.0 | % | $ | 253.5 | $ | 209.0 | 21.3 | % | ||||||
| Avg. full-time equivalent homes |
53.2 | 45.0 | 18.2 | % | 50.0 | 46.4 | 7.8 | % | ||||||||||
| (1) | November 2004 had 4 Sundays, versus 5 Sundays in 2003. |
| (2) | Excludes editorial costs. |
| (3) | Subscriber counts are according to the Nielsen Homevideo Index of homes that receive cable networks. |
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| THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY | For more information: | |
| Unaudited Revenue and Statistical Summary |
Tim Stautberg | |
| Period: November |
The E.W. Scripps Company | |
| Report date: December 13, 2004 |
513-977-3826 |
| ( amounts in millions, unless otherwise noted ) |
October and November |
||||||||
| 2004 |
2003 |
% |
|||||||
| SEGMENT OPERATING REVENUES |
|||||||||
| Newspapers |
$ | 125.9 | $ | 124.4 | 1.2 | % | |||
| Scripps Networks |
132.9 | 105.8 | 25.6 | % | |||||
| Broadcast Television |
73.3 | 58.1 | 26.2 | % | |||||
| Shop At Home |
49.8 | 35.6 | 39.8 | % | |||||
| Licensing and Other Media |
19.3 | 18.7 | 3.0 | % | |||||
| TOTAL |
$ | 401.1 | $ | 342.6 | 17.1 | % | |||
| NEWSPAPERS |
|||||||||
| Operating Revenues |
|||||||||
| Local |
$ | 30.5 | $ | 31.1 | (1.9 | )% | |||
| Classified |
36.0 | 35.6 | 1.0 | % | |||||
| National |
7.6 | 7.3 | 3.8 | % | |||||
| Preprints and other |
26.4 | 24.6 | 7.3 | % | |||||
| Newspaper advertising |
100.5 | 98.7 | 1.9 | % | |||||
| Circulation |
22.2 | 22.8 | (2.8 | )% | |||||
| Other |
3.2 | 2.9 | 9.3 | % | |||||
| Newspapers |
$ | 125.9 | $ | 124.4 | 1.2 | % | |||
| Ad inches (excluding JOAs) (in thousands) |
|||||||||
| Local |
1,335 | 1,286 | 3.8 | % | |||||
| Classified |
1,695 | 1,773 | (4.5 | )% | |||||
| National |
249 | 248 | 0.7 | % | |||||
| Full run ROP |
3,279 | 3,307 | (0.8 | )% | |||||
| Share of JOA operating profits (1) |
$ | 17.1 | $ | 17.1 | 0.1 | % | |||
| SCRIPPS NETWORKS |
|||||||||
| Operating Revenues |
|||||||||
| Advertising |
$ | 107.3 | $ | 89.0 | 20.6 | % | |||
| Affiliate fees, net |
24.1 | 15.4 | 56.4 | % | |||||
| Other |
1.5 | 1.5 | 6.5 | % | |||||
| Scripps Networks |
$ | 132.9 | $ | 105.8 | 25.6 | % | |||
| Subscribers (2) |
|||||||||
| HGTV |
87.4 | 84.4 | 3.6 | % | |||||
| Food Network |
85.7 | 82.8 | 3.5 | % | |||||
| Great American Country |
36.3 | 26.4 | 37.5 | % | |||||
| BROADCAST TELEVISION |
|||||||||
| Operating Revenues |
|||||||||
| Local |
$ | 31.7 | $ | 34.0 | (6.8 | )% | |||
| National |
18.1 | 20.4 | (11.0 | )% | |||||
| Political |
21.0 | 1.1 | |||||||
| Other |
2.4 | 2.6 | (6.5 | )% | |||||
| Broadcast Television |
$ | 73.3 | $ | 58.1 | 26.2 | % | |||
| SHOP AT HOME |
|||||||||
| Operating Revenues |
|||||||||
| Shop At Home |
$ | 49.8 | $ | 35.6 | 39.8 | % | |||
| Avg. full-time equivalent homes |
53.2 | 45.0 | 18.2 | % | |||||
| (1) | Excludes editorial costs and proportionate share of JOA activities. |
| (2) | Subscriber counts are according to the Nielsen Homevideo Index of homes that receive cable networks. |
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