CINCINNATI – The E. W. Scripps Company today announced that its NBC-affiliated television stations in West Palm Beach, Fla.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Tulsa, Okla.; will enter into joint sales agreements with Paxson Communications Corporation’s PAX TV-affiliated stations in the same markets.The joint sales agreements will be established between the following stations:Scripps West Palm Beach – WPTV, Channel 5 Kansas City – KSHB, Channel 41 Tulsa – KJRH, Channel 2 PAXWest Palm Beach – WPXP, Channel 67Kansas City – KPXE, Channel 50Tulsa – KTPX, Channel 44Under terms of the agreements, Scripps will be responsible for advertising sales for the PAX TV stations. Additionally, the PAX TV stations will rebroadcast local news programming produced by the Scripps stations.James M. Hart, senior vice president for the Scripps television station group, said, “We believe that the sales partnership between our NBC affiliates and PAX TV stations represents an excellent opportunity for business growth. It illustrates our company’s willingness to take advantage of non-traditional revenue streams. With strong and growing stations in these markets, we feel confident that this will be a very positive relationship.”Dean Goodman, president of PAX TV, said, “We are pleased to announce this JSA with Scripps. This long-term strategic partnership will have a strong impact on our sales performance and revenue and help reinforce our market presence in all three key markets. Finally, this agreement also presents us with a compelling opportunity to continue our overall growth strategy of expanding our JSA territory to include all PAX owned and operated stations by the end of the year.”About Paxson Communications CorporationPaxson Communications Corporation owns and operates the nation’s largest broadcast television station group and PAX TV, the newest broadcast television network. PAX, the national family entertainment network, reaches 81 percent of U.S. television households via nationwide broadcast television, cable and satellite distribution systems. Through the company’s strategic relationship with NBC, the two networks recently shared the premiere of the new dramatic series “Mysterious Ways” from July to mid-September. The series continues every Tuesday this fall on PAX, together with other original 8 p.m. (ET/PT) series such as “Twice In A Lifetime,” “It’s A Miracle” and “Encounters with the Unexplained.” For more information, visit PAX TV’s website at www.pax.tv.About The E.W. Scripps CompanyThe E.W. Scripps Company, based in Cincinnati, is a diverse media concern with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television, cable television networks and interactive media. Scripps operates 21 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.