Scripps is backing out of a ambitious effort to offer national news across its many TV stations, and its reasons for doing so may give rivals the shudders.
The Cincinnati owner of TV stations and national networks like ION told staffers Friday that it plans to shutter the national news programming produced by its Scripps News unit, resulting in what are expected to be 200 job cuts. Scripps in early 2023 combined its live-streaming Newsy outlet with its local-news operations and its Washington bureau to create Scripps News, which distributed national news programming across the company’s local stations and via streaming outlets.
The layoffs are to be completed by November 15.
The company found less-than-robust support for the venture from Madison Avenue, according to Adam Symons, Scripps’ CEO. “Amidst an already difficult linear television advertising marketplace, many brands and agencies have decided that advertising around national news is just too risky for them given the polarized nature of this country, no matter the accolades and credentials a news organization like Scripps receives for its objectivity,” he told staffers Friday. “I vehemently disagree, but it is hurting Scripps News, along with every other national linear and digital news outlet.”