The E.W. Scripps Co. is jumping into sports, inking a deal to air Friday night Women’s National Basketball Association games on its Ion national network.

The company formed Scripps Sports in December, saying broadcast could provide sports franchises with broad reach and large audiences at a time when cord-cutting is reducing viewership and revenues for regional sports networks on cable.

In addition to a national platform like Ion, Scripps has stations in markets where regional sports networks are under financial pressure. Scripps Sports has been talking to teams about the advantages of broadcasting games over the air.

Scripps’s deal with the WNBA creates WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on Ion, which will feature games from May 26 through September 8. 

“The WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on Ion brings women’s professional basketball the broadest possible reach with the consistency that fans, players, teams and the league deserve,” Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson said. “Scripps is fully committed to serving and growing the number of American women’s basketball fans who value the athleticism, professionalism and excitement the WNBA brings into their living rooms.”

Also Read: Nexstar Looks To Bring More NBA Games to Local Stations

The WNBA is the first sports property to air on Ion. Ion will launch a promotional campaign to drive awareness and tune-in. Bounce, Scripps News and Scripps’s other national networks will provide cross-promotion and Scripps also will use its local TV stations to promote WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on Ion throughout the season.

The new packages of games results from the WNBA expanding the season by two games per team. Some of the games would have appeared on WNBA League Pass, other would have been available locally.

“The WNBA is thrilled to partner with Scripps to expand the league’s media horizon and reach basketball fans in greater numbers,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “Access to watch WNBA games is in high demand, and Scripps’s dedicated Friday-night lineup of WNBA games on Ion will become much-desired appointment viewing for WNBA fans.”

The recent NCAA women’s March Madness college basketball tournament drew record ratings.

On Ion, some WNBA games will air nationally. Other weeks, viewers will get games on a regional basis.

“Scripps Sports was established to help leagues and teams extend their reach and connect with audiences through new distribution channels,” Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor said. “We are pleased the WNBA sees the Ion network as an opportunity to showcase its games with a weekly nationwide franchise designed to increase visibility and fandom for this sport. Women’s sports merits a national broadcast network that ensures every American TV household can watch these amazing athletes and their gripping game play.” 

E.W. Scripps Co. said that LeVar Burton will be the host of the 94th Scripps National Spelling Bee during the semifinal and final rounds in June.

For the first time, Scripps will be broadcasting the semifinals and finals from Washington, D.C., on its Ion and Bounce over-the-air networks after years on cable with ESPN. ESPN sportscasters had been hosting the event.

“The selection of Mr. Burton as host aligns with the mission of the Scripps National Spelling Bee,” said Dr. J. Michael Durnil, executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. “To have such a prominent advocate for children’s literacy involved in this special and unique competition is a perfect match. We have the same goals: to educate tomorrow’s leaders and build reading competency in all young people.” 

Burton is well-known as the former host and executive producer of PBS’s Reading Rainbow and for starring as Kunta Kinte in the acclaimed television miniseries Roots and as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge in the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series and film franchise. 

Burton was a contender to replace Alex Trebek as the host of Jeopardy!. He didn’t get that gig, but is working with Hasbro to create a TV show based on Trivial Pursuit that he would host.

“Hosting the Scripps National Spelling Bee will be an honor,” Burton said. “Like a lot of folks, I look forward to the competition every year and am excited to be a part of this wonderful tradition that celebrates excellence.”

The Spelling Bee was launched in 1925 and had been televised by ESPN since 1994. ■ 

The E.W. Scripps Co. said it is moving the Scripps National Spelling Bee to two of its over-the-air networks — Ion and Bounce — from ESPN’s cable channels.

Scripps said the move will make the spelling competition available to its widest audience in its nearly 100-year history.

Also Read: E.W. Scripps Cancels Spelling Bee National Finals

The 2022 national competition will air live on June 2. Scripps also plans to make it available via cable and streaming. 

The Bee was launched in 1925 and has been on ESPN channels since 1994. 

“The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a beloved American treasure enjoyed by generations of participants and viewers annually. The time is right to bring the iconic competition back to broadcast television, the media platform accessible for free to nearly every American viewer across the country,” Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson said. “As the Bee’s viewership expands through the diverse and fast-growing audiences of Ion and Bounce, it is better positioned to connect with the next generation of spellers watching along.” 

Scripps, a major owner of local television stations, has been building a national networks group. It acquired Ion Media Networks for $2.65 billion earlier this year. Bounce was acquired by Scripps when it bought Katz Networks for $302 million in 2017. 

Bounce’s new original series Johnson got a ratings boost by also airing on Ion.

Ion was acquired last year by the E.W. Scripps Co., which also owns Bounce. Johnson is the first series to appear on both networks since the acquisition.

Airing the show on Ion was designed to expose the show to a wider audience and get more sampling. 

The result, Johnson’s first two episodes premiered on Sunday and drew 2.1 million viewers, making Johnson’s the most-watched half-hour series launch in the history of Bounce.

Also Read: Jonathan Katz Leaving Scripps To Start New Business Venture

Johnson is a dramedy that focuses on a group of friends who are all named Johnson. 

The series is produced in partnership with Cedric The Entertainer and Eric Rhone's A Bird & A Bear Entertainment and Deji LaRay (the show’s creator) and Thomas Q. Jones' Midnight Train Productions. 

Johnson’s cast includes D.L. Hughley, LaRay, Jones, Philip Smithey  and Derrex Brady.

Bounce premieres new episodes of Johnson Sunday nights. They are added to Bounce’s streaming service Brown Sugar on Monday mornings.

Ion Television, freshening its programming, has made a deal with NBCUniversal Global Distribution to add Chicago Fire to its lineup.

Ion will air Chicago Fire episodes on Tuesday, starting at 11 a.m. straight through till 2 a.m.

The network runs Chicago P.D. from 11 a.m. through 2 a.m. on Thursdays.

Ion’s deal with NBCU gives it rights to all nine seasons and 195 episodes of the Dick Wolf drama.

Ion was acquired by the E.W. Scripps Co. earlier this year for $2.65 billion. Ion became part of the local broadcaster’s new national networks unit, which also includes digital broadcast networks Court TV, Laff, Bounce and Newsy.

Executive produced by Dick Wolf and created by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, Chicago Fire is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment. 

Over its nine seasons, the cast of the series has included Jesse Spencer, Taylor Kinney and Eamonn Walker, Kara Killmer, Miranda Rae Mayo, David Eigenberg, Joe Miñoso, Christian Stolte, Alberto Rosende, Daniel Kyri, Monica Raymund, Lauren German, Yuri Sardarov and Charlie Barnett.

The E.W. Scripps Co. said it closes its previously announced acquisition of Ion Media Networks from Diamond Capital Management LLC.

Also Read: Scripps Goes National By Buying Ion for $2.65 Billion

Ion will become part of Scripps’ new ad-supported national networks business that will also include its Katz Networks and Newsy.

Scripps said the $2.65 billion deal was financed with $800 million in terms loans, $550 million in secured notes, $500 million of unsecured notes, a $600 million investment from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and cash from Ion’s balance sheet.

Scripps said it has sold 23 of the Ion affiliated TV stations to INYO Broadcast Holdings. Scripps now owns 60 stations in 41 markets.

Black Diamond said that during the 11 years it owned Ion, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization rose to more than $300 million from $33 million.

Also Read: Burgess Ponders What He’ll Do After Selling Ion Media

“This is a historic and transformational moment for Scripps that strengthens our leadership position in broadcasting and accelerates our multiplatform strategy to serve diverse audiences everywhere they seek to be informed and entertained,” said Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson. “Bringing our networks together with Ion will create a formidable national television business focused on connecting with audiences and advertisers in the rapidly evolving media landscape while fueling our company’s future growth.”

Read Also: E.W. Scripps Taps Katz Execs for National Networks Group

The new national networks business will be led by Lisa Knutson, president, national networks, and previously Scripps’ chief financial officer. Jonathan Katz, who headed Katz Networks, will be COO.

ION Television has announced five new movies for this year’s holiday lineup, encouraging viewers to ‘Get Wrapped Up in the Holidays.’

“ION Television has built a reputation as a prime holiday movie destination, and this year’s films will only enhance that sentiment for viewers,” said Chairman and CEO of ION Media Networks, Brandon Burgess.

The new movies include Merry Ex-Mas, A Christmas Mystery, A Christmas Kiss II, A Perfect Christmas List and Back to Christmas.

The original holiday movies are set to begin Sunday, November 30, running with 18 returning favorites as well. With ION’s viewership of 30 million for the 2013 season, they hope to build off of the 8% increase each year.

“We have created a solid foundation with our holiday movie franchise over the past four years, and we’re excited to expand on our original programming commitment to fans,” said Burgess.

Actors, Dean Cain, Kristy Swanson, Ernie Hudson, John Ratzenberger, Esmé Bianco, Elisabeth Röhm, Elisabeth Harnois and Kelly Overton will appear in the original movies this year.

ION’s Holiday Movie Premieresare as follows:

A Christmas Mystery – Premieres Sunday, November 30, at 9/8c

Cast: Esmé Bianco, Ryan Bittle, John Ratzenberger, John Colton, Anne Leighton, Kristen Miller, Ben Trotter

Merry Ex-Mas – Premieres Sunday, December 7, at 9/8c

Cast: Dean Cain, Kristy Swanson, Lochlyn Munro, Shannon Kummer, Sharon Thomas Cain, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Ernie Hudson, Rebecca Grant

A Christmas Kiss II– Premieres Saturday, December 13, at 9/8c

Cast: Elisabeth Harnois, Adam Mayfield, Elisabeth Röhm, Lola Glaudini, Jonathan Bennett, Celesta Hodge, Ray Laska

A Perfect Christmas List – Premieres Sunday, December 14, at 9/8c

Cast: Ellen Hollman, Marion Ross, Aaron Hill, Beth Broderick, Richard Karn

Back To Christmas – Premieres Saturday, December 20, at 9/8c

Cast: Kelly Overton, Michael Muhney, Jonathan Patrick Moore, Jennifer Elise Cox, Moses Jacob Storm, Gloria Loring, Mark Hutter