Home & Garden Television President Burton Jablin, a member of the original management team that launched HGTV 10 years ago, will be taking on expanded responsibilities at Scripps Networks, effective Jan. 3. In his expanded role as Executive Vice President of Scripps Networks, Jablin will work closely with the brand managers of Scripps growing portfolio of lifestyle cable networks, directing their strategies for continued growth.“We see great potential to leverage the power of our existing brands to create new business opportunities,” said John Lansing, who will succeed the retiring Ed Spray as President of Scripps Networks beginning in January of 2005. “Burton will work with the management teams at Food Network, DIY, Fine Living, Great American Country and our online division on program and content strategies, marketing, promotions, and brand extensions with the goal of continued enhancement of these brands and increased ratings.”Lansing said Jablin, a Harvard graduate who began his career in television more than 20 years ago, will continue to serve as President of HGTV. Jablin joined HGTV as executive producer in 1994, supervising production of the network’s original slate of programs. As the network grew, so did Jablin’s responsibilities, eventually to include all aspects of the HGTV brand in 2000. During the early years, HGTV was recognized as the fastest growing network in cable television history, and in recent years the network has enjoyed unprecedented growth in ratings – including 21 consecutive months of year-over-year growth in household viewing from January 2003 to September 2004.Jablin started his career in Chicago as a researcher for WBBM-TV. He rose to the position of executive producer of late news and special events programming before moving to Los Angeles to serve as Executive Producer of news at KTTV. “Burton’s keen understanding of our industry, his eye for quality and incredible business savvy make him the ideal person to build on the Scripps model in a way that will leverage our content and create new value for consumers, advertisers and the cable industry,” Lansing said.Jablin said he looks forward to his new role at Scripps Networks, which in the last two years added Shop At Home and Great American Country to its portfolio of popular lifestyle media properties. “Our brands hold a unique position in the key categories we currently occupy,” Jablin said. “We believe that with a sharper focus and coordinated, multi-platform approach, we can claim an even bigger share of mind in everything relating to shelter, food and lifestyle.” HGTV, Scripps Networks’ flagship brand, currently is available in more than 87 million households. In addition, HGTV.com averages more than 4.5 unique visitors to the website each month.In addition to HGTV, Scripps Networks is comprised of the Food Network, DIY Network, and FINE LIVING, and as well as electronic retailer Shop At Home and county music network Great American Country (GAC). Scripps is the leading developer of lifestyle-oriented content for television and the Internet, where on-air programming is complemented with online content. In addition, Scripps Networks is aggressively developing its emerging media, including video on demand, broadband and Hispanic programming. Scripps Networks’ brands collectively are available in more than 95 countries on six continents. They also are distributed to 1,000 outlets on U.S. military bases and U.S. embassies around the world via the American Forces Radio and Television Service. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Nashville, and Englewood, Colo., Scripps Networks is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP), a diverse media concern with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television, national television networks, interactive media, and television retailing. Scripps operates 21 daily newspapers, 10 broadcast TV stations, Scripps Howard News Service and United Media.