CINCINNATI, Ohio – The E.W. Scripps Company has entered into a programming and marketing agreement involving its NBC affiliate in Kansas City, Mo., KSHB – channel 41, and Miller Broadcasting’s KMCI-TV – channel 38, of Lawrence, Kan.Under the terms of the agreement, Scripps will provide KMCI’s programming and will sell all of the station’s advertising time and provide other business functions. Scripps also has obtained an option to purchase KMCI if federal regulations are changed to permit ownership of more than one station serving the same market.When the agreement takes effect later this year, KMCI’s programming is expected to include movies, talk shows, syndicated situation comedies and children’s programming – some of which was offered by KSHB before it affiliated with NBC in 1994. KMCI currently is affiliated with the Home Shopping Network. “This is a great opportunity to expand the program options available to the viewers of Kansas City by offering a lineup of high-quality television shows that appeal to a wide range of audiences,” said James M. Hart, senior vice president of Scripps’ television station group. “We’re also enthusiastic about extending our reach beyond the Kansas City market.”In addition to being seen in Lawrence and Topeka, KMCI is available in all 410,000 cable homes in the Kansas City market.“Scripps’ reputation as one of the nation’s finest broadcasters is important to us as we begin this transition,” said Monte Miller, president and general manager of Miller Broadcasting. “This agreement is a real home run for viewers in our region.”The E.W. Scripps Company operates nine television stations; daily newspapers in 16 markets; two television production companies, a licensor and syndicator of news features and comics and a 24-hour cable television network.