CINCINNATI – The E. W. Scripps Company has created a subsidiary company to provide newsprint management and buying services for its own newspapers and other newspaper publishing customers. The subsidiary, Media Procurement Services Inc., negotiates competitive newsprint contracts and secures the quality and availability of newsprint required by its customers. In addition to the Scripps newspapers, MPS customers include Bangor (Maine) Publishing Co.; Forum Communications Co., Fargo, N.D.; Freedom Communications Inc., Irvine, Calif.; Gazette Communications Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa; News-Press Gazette Co., St. Joseph, Mo.; Schurz Communications Inc., South Bend, Ind.; and Woodward Communications Inc., Dubuque, Iowa. MPS currently manages the procurement of 600,000 metric tonnes of newsprint per year.MPS features a fully automated Internet-based newsprint procurement and management system created by PAPEX Inc. PAPEX Inc. is a Canadian designer of Web-hosted services for newspaper publishers and paper and pulp producers. The PAPEX system allows Scripps to manage all aspects of its newsprint operations online, including ordering, shipping, and inventory and consumption analysis. The E.W. Scripps Company is a diverse media concern with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television, national television networks and interactive media. Scripps operates 21 daily newspapers, 10 broadcast TV stations and four cable television networks. Scripps national television network brands include Home & Garden Television, Food Network, DIY — Do It Yourself Network and Fine Living.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.