photo of Scripps building in Cincinnati
Careers Investors

Scripps August revenues increase 4 percent

Sept. 28, 2000
 

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The E.W. Scripps Company’s consolidated revenues increased 4 percent in August to $136 million, compared to $130 million in August 1999.The year-over-year growth rate was affected by the difference in the number of Sundays in August of this year compared to the same month in 1999. Sunday is a major advertising day for newspapers. August 2000 had four Sundays versus five in 1999. If July and August 2000 are combined, eliminating the inconsistent year-over-year comparison, consolidated revenues were up 8.4 percent. Newspaper advertising revenues for August were unchanged at $61 million, reflecting the impact of the negative Sunday comparison. Classified advertising revenues were down 1 percent to $26.1 million. Local advertising revenues decreased 3.3 percent to $21.2 million. Total newspaper revenues were down 3.2 percent to $76.6 million. For July and August combined, newspaper advertising revenues were up 4.1 percent.Category television revenues increased 32 percent to $24.6 million. The number of subscribers at Home & Garden Television reached 65.7 million in August, up 1.5 million from the previous month, according to the Nielsen Homevideo Index. Home & Garden Television now reaches more than 75 percent of all domestic cable households. The number of Food Network subscribers reached 51.8 million in August, up 1.3 million from the previous month, according to the Nielsen index.Broadcast television revenues increased 7.9 percent to $25.9 million. Broadcast television political advertising revenues were $2.6 million in August compared to $400,000 in August 1999.The E.W. Scripps Company is a diverse media concern with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television, cable television programming and interactive media. Scripps operates 20 daily newspapers, 10 broadcast TV stations and three cable television networks, with plans to launch a fourth.Scripps cable television network brands include Home & Garden Television, Food Network, Do it Yourself, and Fine Living, due to launch in the second half of 2001.The company also operates Scripps Howard News Service, United Media, the worldwide licensing and syndication home of PEANUTS and DILBERT, and 31 Web sites, including hgtv.com, foodtv.com, diynet.com and comics.com.Scripps will be one of the presenters during the Merrill Lynch Media and Entertainment Conference in Marina del Rey, Calif., Sept. 27. The company’s presentation will focus on its growing category and interactive media businesses..