XML 41 R32.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Schedule of allowance for doubtful accounts | A rollforward of the allowance for doubtful accounts is as follows:
(in thousands) |  |
January 1, 2017 |  | $ | 1,490 |
Charged to costs and expenses |  | 1,314 |
Amounts charged off, net |  | (855) |
Balance as of December 31, 2017 |  | 1,949 |
Charged to costs and expenses |  | 3,378 |
Amounts charged off, net |  | (1,106) |
Balance as of December 31, 2018 |  | 4,221 |
Charged to costs and expenses |  | 1,823 |
Amounts charged off, net |  | (2,698) |
Balance as of December 31, 2019 |  | $ | 3,346 |
Estimated useful lives of property and equipment | We compute depreciation using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives as follows:
Buildings and improvements | 15 to 45 years
Leasehold improvements | Shorter of term of lease or useful life
Broadcast transmission towers and related equipment | 15 to 35 years
Other broadcast and program production equipment | 3 to 15 years
Computer hardware | 3 to 5 years
Office and other equipment | 3 to 10 years
Property and equipment consisted of the following:
|  | As of December 31, |  |
(in thousands) |  | 2019 |  | 2018
Land and improvements |  | $ | 62,712 |  |  | $ | 47,054 |
Buildings and improvements |  | 187,830 |  |  | 144,389 |
Equipment |  | 452,239 |  |  | 344,909 |
Computer software |  | 20,047 |  |  | 17,492 |
Total |  | 722,828 |  |  | 553,844 |
Accumulated depreciation |  | 352,450 |  |  | 322,343 |
Net property and equipment |  | $ | 370,378 |  |  | $ | 231,501 |
Components of basic and diluted weighted-average shares | The following table presents information about basic and diluted weighted-average shares outstanding:
|  | For the years ended December 31, |  |  |  |
(in thousands) |  | 2019 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Numerator (for basic and diluted earnings per share) |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax |  | $ | (1,913) |  |  | $ | 69,889 |  |  | $ | (10,178) |
Loss attributable to noncontrolling interest |  | — |  |  | 632 |  |  | 1,511 |
Less income allocated to RSUs |  | — |  |  | (1,129) |  |  | — |
Numerator for basic and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to the shareholders of The E.W. Scripps Company |  | $ | (1,913) |  |  | $ | 69,392 |  |  | $ | (8,667) |
Denominator |  |  |  |  |  |
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding |  | 80,826 |  |  | 81,369 |  |  | 82,052 |
Effect of dilutive securities: |  |  |  |  |  |
Stock options and restricted stock units |  | — |  |  | 558 |  |  | — |
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding |  | 80,826 |  |  | 81,927 |  |  | 82,052 |

X
- Definition Schedule of Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Table Text Block] + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ssp_ScheduleofAllowanceforDoubtfulAccountsTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | ssp_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Includes, but is not limited to, balances by class of assets, depreciation and depletion expense and method used, including composite depreciation, and accumulated deprecation. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(13)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of an entity's basic and diluted earnings per share calculations, including a reconciliation of numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per-share computations for income from continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfEarningsPerShareBasicAndDilutedTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration