Scripps responds to political advertising disclosure claims

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Sep 30, 2016, 11:46 ET

CINCINNATI, Sept. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A complaint filed against The E.W. Scripps Co. (NYSE: SSP) and its Cincinnati television station WCPO mischaracterizes the way the station handled its political advertising file, the company said today.

The complaint, filed with the Federal Communications Commission by the Georgetown Law Institute for Public Representation on behalf of several nonprofit organizations, alleges WCPO violated federal requirements about how stations should disclose information about the purchase of political advertisements.

Scripps Chairman, President and CEO Rich Boehne said many of the institute's claims inaccurately allege that ad scheduling and other required information was missing, when in fact the information is listed in the file and associated with the correct advertisements.

"Scripps has a long history of service to its viewers," said Boehne. "We take our FCC reporting obligation very seriously. The complaint does identify some areas where the station's filings could have been more descriptive, and Scripps has made appropriate amendments to its file. All of these documents are available for anyone to view in WCPO's online public file.

"We are disappointed those filing the complaint did not first contact the station," said Boehne. "Had they done so, we could have helped them locate the information they were looking for and addressed any concerns. As stewards of the First Amendment, Scripps supports the FCC's goal of providing viewers, advertisers and other concerned citizens with transparency as it relates to the purchase of political advertising."

About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) serves audiences and businesses through a growing portfolio of television, radio and digital media brands. Scripps is one of the nation's largest independent TV station owners, with 33 television stations in 24 markets and a reach of nearly one in five U.S. households. It also owns 34 radio stations in eight markets. Scripps also runs an expanding collection of local and national digital journalism and information businesses, including multi-platform satire and humor brand Cracked, podcast industry leader Midroll Media and over-the-top video news service Newsy. Scripps also produces television shows including "THE LIST" and "The Now," runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and serves as the long-time steward of the nation's largest, most successful and longest-running educational program, the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, "Give light and the people will find their own way."

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company