Another high-profile trial yielded big viewership numbers for Court TV.

During the six-week Alex Murdaugh murder trial, the E.W. Scripps-owned network said its viewership nearly tripled, compared to the network’s pre-trial average.

When the guilty verdict was rendered, viewership soared 600%. 

The viewership was the highest since the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial last year.

On the digital front, the Murdaugh trial set a Court TV record with 4.8 million hours of viewing. Streaming of the trial increased 349%, nearly double that of the Depp-Heard trial. 

Murdaugh was found guilty in the 2021 death of his wife and son. ■

Court TV said that its true-crime series Someone They Knew With Tamron Hall is set to start its second season on February 19.

Season two will have 24 new episodes airing on Sunday nights.

“Season one of Someone They Knew quickly became a staple among Court TV’s unparalleled coverage of the hottest, most compelling and complex court cases of our time,” said Ethan Nelson, head of Court TV, part of Scripps Networks. “For season two, viewers can expect more of these fascinating cases with 24 new and intriguing true crime stories.” 

Each episode of the show traces a crime, following the path from victim to verdict, showing how it is rare for there to be no connection between the killer and the deceased.

“I have always been pulled into the ‘why’ — why crimes like this happen, and the distressing impact they bring to family, friends and loved ones,” Hall said. “It’s because of this that returning for season two is so personally important to me. I know I speak for the entire Someone They Knew team when I say that we can’t wait to bring more of these stories to Court TV viewers.” 

Hall is also the host and executive producer of Tamron Hall, which is produced and distributed in national syndication by Walt Disney. She won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host. In October 2021, Hall released her first novel, As The Wicked Watch, the first in a new crime series. ■

Frndly TV, the low-priced, family-friendly streaming TV service, said it made a deal with Scripps Networks to bring Ion, Ion Mystery and Grit to its customers .

The Scripps channels increase the number of live channels Frndly TV offers basic subscribers to 45.

The price for Frndly’s base tier remains $6.99 a month.

Also: vMVPD Frndly TV Grows 40% To Top 700,000 Subs

Scripps Networks has been working to maximize distribution of its channels over the air, via FAST (free, ad-supported television) channels and with virtual multichannel video programming distributors (vMVPDs) like Frndly TV.

Last month Scripps reached a deal with Alphabet that includes getting three of its networks — Scripps News, Ion and Bounce — on YouTube TV. ■

The E.W. Scripps Co. has reached a wide-ranging distribution deal that will put its national networks on Google video platforms including YouTube TV.

This week, Scripps Networks’ Scripps News, Ion and Bounce over-the-air channels are being launched on the basic tier of YouTube TV, Google’s virtual multichannel video programming distributor, which has about 6.5 million subscribers.

YouTube TV already carries Scripps’ Court TV.

Last this year, when Google is expected to launch YouTube FAST–its entry into the fast growing free ad-supported streaming television business-Scripps’ portfolio of FAST channels will be part of the package. 

Those channels are Ion, Ion Plus, Ion Mystery, Grit Xtra, Bounce XL, Scripps News and Court TV.

Google began testing a set of FAST channels earlier this year, working with programmers including A+E Networks, Cinedigm, Lionsgate and FilmRise.

Google TV will also be distributing Scripps’ subscription service Brown Sugar.

The Google deal is a big step in Scripps’ strategy of getting multiplatform distribution for its channels, Jeffrey Wolf, chief distribution officer at Scripps Networks, told Broadcasting+Cable.

Google recently bolstered its TV platform by buying rights to the National Football League's Sunday Ticket out-of-market game package for a reported $2.5 billion a year.

Scripps has been aiming to get its over-the-air channels on virtual MVPDs. Before YouTube TV, Scripps got a distribution deal with Fubo TV, which is carrying seven of the company’s networks.

“We felt this is a really growing part of the business,” Wolf said. YouTube TV is getting a direct, national feed of the over-the-air networks, not signals from individual stations, so there’s no retransmission payment or must-carry involved as there is with traditional MVPDs.

Wolf declined to describe other financial details. “Between the four networks, we figured out a way to make it interesting to YouTube TV,” he said.

The strong performance by Court TV on YouTube TV — particularly during the Johnny Depp trial last year — paved the way for the addition of more channels from Scripps, Wolf said. YouTube TV has an option to launch Scripps’ other over-the-air channels, Grit, Ion Mystery and Laff, in the future, possibly on a higher-priced tier.

Getting on DirecTV should give Bounce, the company’s network for African-American viewers a boost.

The deal also marks Scripps News continuing effort to get back into the pay TV business. Formerly known as Newsy, Scripps took it off cable and turned it into an over-the-air network. Now, “hopefully we’re going to be adding more pay-TV subscribers for Scripps News over the coming months,” Wolf said.

Scripps has also gotten its FAST channels on major platforms including Roku, Amazon’s FreeVee, Pluto TV, Xumo,Tubi, Samsung TV Plus and Vizio,

“We’ve so much success in the FAST world so quickly,” Wolf says. “When Google gets into this business, it’s really significant for us to be part of their launch and to have our networks showcased.”

Wolf noted that Scripps has focused on getting its FAST channels are on the biggest platforms.

“We’re focused on the distribution that will move our needle, increase our ratings, increase our viewership and therefore increase our revenue,” he said. “Being almost fully distributed on these major platforms is really exciting for these networks.”

In the first three months of 2022, Scripps Networks generated profits of $230.4 million (down 18.6% from the same period in 2021) on revenue of $713 million in revenue (up 5.1%).

Wolf added that with both the vMVPD business and the FAST business growing, distributors and programmers are working together to make the pie bigger.

“We believe our diversified portfolio of networks will help strengthen YouTube TV as a pay tv option for consumers and are excited to be part of their continued growth in the marketplace,” he said. “We look forward to growing our relationship with YouTube TV and their parent company Google.” ■

The E.W. Scripps Co.’s national networks division promoted two distribution executives, naming Damian Riordan VP and general manager of distribution and Matthew Hijuelos VP of distribution partnerships.

Riordan joined Scripps when it acquired Ion Media Networks. He will head sales for the national distribution of Scripps networks including Ion, Ion Mystery, Ion Plus, Bounce, Grit, Laff, Newsy (now Scripps News) and Court TV.

Previously, Riordan was founder and managing principal of Peloton Media Advisors, LLC.

He reports to Jeffrey Wolf, chief distribution officer at Scripps Networks.

“Damian’s vast experience makes him the perfect choice for this newly-created position, leading our efforts to distribute Scripps Networks on every available platform,” Wolf said. “I have known Damian personally and professionally for more than 30 years and I am excited to have him as a business partner as we navigate expanding our footprint in OTA, CTV, OTT, MVPD, vMVPD and anywhere else viewers consume video.”

Hijuelos also joined Scripps during the Ion acquisition. He will lead the strategy, development and execution of distribution partnership efforts across cable, satellite, telco, digital and over-the-top (OTT) platforms. Prior to joining Ion Media, Hijuelos served as senior director, business development for Akamai Technologies. ■

FuboTV has announced a new carriage agreement with Scripps Networks that will bring seven more channels to the virtual pay TV service's $70-a-month baseline "Pro" tier.

The multi-year deal will add ION, ION Mystery, ION Plus, Bounce, Grit, Court TV and -- effective January 1, when it becomes "Scripps News" -- Newsy.

“Today’s launch gives consumers a new streaming option to watch these top Scripps channels and further diversifies FuboTV’s growing programming line-up,” said Marisa Elizondo, VP of content strategy and distribution for FuboTV. “Fubo’s mission is to aggregate and distribute a leading sports package, balanced with news and entertainment content, that appeals to every member of the household, all at an affordable price.”

The Scripps channels aren't available in other vMVPD bundles, beyond DirecTV Stream, FuboTV noted.

The addition ups FuboTV's base tier to 146 networks. ■

Scripps Networks-owned Ion and Bounce are reaching for the holidays with five original films that will appear in November and December.

The films, featuring Billy Baldwin, Vivica A. Fox, Jackée Harry and Tom Arnold, are part of nearly 200 hours of holiday programming that will appear on the multiplatform channels.

Ion’s movies kick off with The Case of the Christmas Diamond on November 20, starring Billy Baldwin.

Dognapped: Hound for the Holidays premieres on Ion November 28, The Search for Secret Santa gets unwrapped December 4 and A Prince and Pauper Christmas has its debut December 11.

Bounce will premiere Faith Heist: A Christmas Caper on November 26. The movie is a sequel to Faith Heist, with Jonathan Langdon as Pastor Benjamin. ■

Scripps Networks said it made a deal with NuTime Media under which new time will help find marketers looking to reach the Black audiences that watch the Scripps Networks portfolio of channels, led by Bounce and Ion.

NuTime Media is a certified Black-owned ad sales rep company with offices in New York and Chicago.

The Scripps national networks reached 18 million Africa-American viewers in the three months ended July 31, more than a but a few ad-supported cable networks, the company said. 

In addition to Bounce–which launches its newest original show, Finding Happy, on Sept. 24, and Ion, Scripps Networks’ Ion Mystery, Court TV and Grit have sizable Black audiences. 

Also: More Scripps Channels Go FAST In Deal With Vizio

Scripps Networks is part of the E.W. Scripps Co.

“Being seen over-the-air as well as on pay television, our networks led by Bounce and ION have a huge advantage in reaching African American audiences,” said Jodi Chisarick, general sales manager at Scripps Networks. “NuTime Media is a leader in helping marketing partners find and connect with Black viewers and we’re pleased to have NuTime Media work alongside us in telling the story of the impressive reach of Scripps networks in the Black community.”

NuTime last year was hired by CBS Media Ventures to find sponsors targeting Black audiences for its first-run syndicated shows.

“Being seen over-the-air as well as on pay television, our networks led by Bounce and ION have a huge advantage in reaching African American audiences,” said Jodi Chisarick, general sales manager, Scripps Networks. “NuTime Media is a leader in helping marketing partners find and connect with Black viewers and we’re pleased to have NuTime Media work alongside us in telling the story of the impressive reach of Scripps networks in the Black community.”

Scripps said Bounce’s ratings have been on the rise with Finding Happy joining the hit series Johnson on the schedule. Finding Happy is about life’s ups and downs from a Black female perspective. Johnson focuses on four male friends named Johnson. 

Johnson and Finding Happy are both created by A Bird & A Bear Entertainment, Eric. C. Rhone and Cedric The Entertainer’s production company.  ■

Scripps Networks is looking to convince media buyers to put more money into something that’s free to watch.

In an upfront where advertisers are concerned about not being able to reach cord-cutters, E.W. Scripps wants media buyers to know that it dominates the free, over-the-air digital networks space and will be adding original programming to its networks.

Scripps is looking to help free over-the-air viewing grow even faster with a $20 million campaign aimed at teaching consumers about the advantages of using an antenna. 

“We believe so much in the importance of the OTA space that we're making a commitment of our own to educate, promote, and encourage the further adoption of over-the-air television through a company-wide initiative called the Free TV Project,” Scripps Networks chief revenue officer Michael Teicher said.

Also: Scripps‘ Court TV Mystery Rebranded as Ion Mystery

Already, one in three homes has an antenna, Teicher notes, with 8.5 million digital antennas sold last year. At this point, “the number of people adding digital antennas is now actually surpassing the number of people that are cutting the cord on an annual basis,” he said.

Homes with an antenna are growing at 10% a year, which means there will be 50 million antenna homes by 2025. 

“That’s a dramatic increase of about 25 million homes that cable will not be able to reach and it’s yielding terrific results for us,” said Teicher, who said the Scripps networks capture 25% of over-the-air viewing. 

“When you combine antenna growth With smart programming acquisitions and some unique and strategic scheduling, we are the only pure entertainment portfolio as a cluster whose ratings have grown over the past year,” he said.

A big chunk of Scripps Networks viewers — 47% — also subscribe to one or more commercial-free subscription video-on-demand service. “We sit in a unique place to reach viewers who don’t have cable and watch SVOD services with now advertising,” Teicher said.

Other broadcasters are also pushing their over-the-air networks, but Teicher doesn’t want Scripps to be battling for a share of an emerging OTA market. “We are here to prove the efficacy of our media versus cable and network television,” he said. “Whatever our competitors do to raise the profile of OTA is fine by me. We have 25%. That tells us we’ll be doing the heavy lifting. They’ll be the beneficiaries and that’s fine.”

Scripps is also working to make its over-the-air networks, which include Ion, Bounce, Court TV and Newsy, available via over-the-top streaming. Last month, Scripps’ Ion network was launched on the Samsung TV Plus smart TV platform. Bounce is also available on CTV platforms.

“You cam buy linear Bounce and bounce on CTV to expand your reach and have that unique scale," said Teicher. "Buying Bounce on CTV also provides the ability to target viewers more precisely," he added 

With a portfolio of nine networks, Scripps offers a diverse audience and a diverse collection of programming genres. “We’re going to take some good-size swing in the original area,” Teicher said. 

One example is Finding Happy coming to Bounce as a female companion to the network’s popular show Johnson. Another is Tamron Hall’s new show on Court TV. Also, Ion has Leverage: Redemption, a co-production with Amazon. A set of holiday movies is also part of the slate.

The Scripps Networks also have tentpole programming, including the Trumpet Awards airing on Bounce on Juneteenth (June 19) and The National Spelling Bee which this year moves from ESPN to Bounce, Ion, Laff and TrueReal.

Also: LeVar Burton Named Host of Scripps National Spelling Bee

Teicher also pointed to statistics that show that the acquired dramas that that Ion has do better number on Ion than on other networks. He also notes that viewing on Ion is nearly all live, increasing the chance that people will watch the commercials.

Scripps is working with research company TVision, which measures viewer attention. TVision has found that the Scripps Networks are among the best at capturing viewers attention. 

All of that adds up to more effective advertising, he said.

These days there are numerous ways to buy inventory, particularly when it comes to digitally delivered programming.

“You can buy inventory in our content on third-party platforms, however, there are a number of advantages in buying it directly from us,” Teicher said.

Direct ad buyers get more transparency about when and where commercials are spring, better frequency caps and additional data to help evaluate campaign effectiveness.

“Advertisers don’t necessarily get a better price buying direct. Nevertheless, we're seeing an increase in the number of advertisers who want to buy directly from us because of the data and the transparency,” he said. “You get more value and more brand safety, which obviously is a key to advertisers. You know exactly what you're getting with us.” ■

Scripps Networks said it has rebranded its Court TV Mystery digital multicast network as Ion Mystery, effective Thursday.

Scripps found the Ion brand was a better fit for the network as the home of scripted procedural dramas such as CSI, CSI: Miami, Law & Order and Leverage. Ion Mystery is available in 120 million homes or 98% of the United States.

Ion Mystery was originally launched by Katz Broadcasting in 2014 as Escape, a network aimed at women. Katz was acquired by the E.W. Scripps Co. in 2017. After rebooting Court TV in 2019, Katz rebranded Escape as Court TV Mystery later that year. Scripps acquired Ion Media in 2020 and formed Scripps Networks by combining Ion, Katz and Newsy.

“Mystery has added popular procedural dramas to its schedule and with the network’s programming now more connected with the hall of fame line-up of hit dramas on Ion, aligning the two networks creates increased consumer recognition, expands brand affinity and cross-promotional strength, and facilitates the ability to naturally share content and more,” said Lisa Knutson, president of Scripps Networks.

Scripps Networks also runs the Bounce, Defy TV, Laff and TrueReal digital broadcast networks. ■

Scripps Networks, E.W. Scripps national networks unit, said it hired Keisha Taylor Starr as chief marketing officer, a new post, effective Jan. 3.

Taylor Starr most recently was senior VP of marketing and public relations for The Recount. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade at Turner Broadcasting, working on TNT, TBS and CNN. 

In her new job, Taylor Starr will direct the marketing, brand strategy and creative for all of the national Scripps networks. She will report to Lisa Knutson, president of Scripps Networks.

“Keisha is a remarkably talented executive whose multi-faceted experience marketing top brands and programming across multiple platforms will be a tremendous asset for us as we connect consumers with the news, information and entertainment they’re seeking,” said Knutson.

The Scripps Networks are news channels Court TV and Newsy and entertainment brands Ion, Bounce, Grit, Laff, Court TV Mystery, Defy TV and TrueReal. 

“As a graduate of Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications, the opportunity to serve as a member of the senior leadership team for a division of the E.W. Scripps company is a full-circle moment for me,” said Taylor Starr. “Given the dynamic range of the networks’ programming across news and entertainment, I look forward to developing marketing campaigns that deliver both cultural and business impact.” ■

Scripps Networks said it named Cheryle Harrison head of Bounce, the TV network serving African-Americans.

Harrison, who had been general manager, has been with Bounce since it was launched in 2011. In her new post, she will be responsible for brand strategy, programming, marketing, social media, digital and community relations.

She will report to Lisa Knutson, president of the E.W. Scripps Co.’s new Scripps Networks division. She had previously reported to Jonathan Katz, the head of the Scripps’ Katz Networks unit, who left the company earlier this year. 

“Cheryle has been a driving force in Bounce’s development, growth and success since its beginning,” Knutson said. “She is a talented, well-respected leader at Scripps and within Scripps Networks and the right person to guide Bounce through an important and exciting new future as we strive to continue serving Black audiences on TV and beyond.”

Like Katz, Harrison was with Turner Broadcasting before Bounce was launched.

“Our goal is that Bounce will become the meeting ground for Black culture, communities and creators building the most valued Black media brand in the world, and for the world, with authenticity and purpose,” Harrison said. “I’m excited to lead Bounce into the future.”

Bounce was the first of the digital broadcast networks started by Katz. Katz Networks was acquired by Scripps in 2017. ■

The new national networks division of E.W. Scripps said it chalked up a 20% increase in volume in its first combined upfront.

Scripps Networks is made up of the Katz Networks--Bounce, Court TV, Grit, Laff, plus the new networks Defy and TrueReal--plus Ion Media, which was acquired earlier this year.

Putting them together led to a meaningful increase in prices on a cost-per-thousand impression (CPM) basis and new clients on all networks. The new business represented about 25% of Scripps Networks’ upfront dollars this year and with no previous price base to work off, rates came in at levels that marked a new high for the networks.

This year’s upfront market was strong across the board, with broadcast networks seeing price increase in the 19% to 23% range and cable in the low to mid teens. But with ratings for traditional TV networks down, ad buyer were looking for new places to reach audiences, including connected TV. 

Scripps Networks pitched itself as a way to reach viewers who have cut the cable cord.

“It was a very successful first upfront for the combined assets of our new Scripps Networks. Like many linear television providers, we saw the benefits of having quality ratings points available for advertisers to purchase in the upfront,” said Michael Teicher, chief revenue officer at Scripps Networks. 

“More importantly, our portfolio approach providing unique reach and effective reach, scale and diverse audiences was extremely well received by our marketing partners. We added several dozen new advertisers across all of our networks, including our two newest brands, TrueReal and Defy,” Teicher said.

Scripps said that Ion posted double-digit growth in dollars and mid-teens growth in CPMs. About 20% of upfront ad dollars came in from new advertisers.

Upfront dollars were up more than 50% at Bounce, with CPMS up in a range from the high teens to the low 20s. 

As part of its pitch, Scripps introduced SURG--the Scripps Unduplicated Reach Generator--which was designed to show how many incremental viewers advertisers could reach by adding Scripps to their buys.  

“SURG was so well received by our clients that we are developing SURG 2.0,” Teicher said.

Jonathan Katz, who launched Bounce TV, rebooted Court TV and sold his digital over-the-air startup to E.W. Scripps, has resigned from Scripps to start a new company.

Also Read: Jonathan Katz Sees Technology Creating Opportunities in the TV Business

Katz Networks has been a pioneer in starting digital over-the-air networks, and when Scripps paid $302 million million for the company in 2017, that signaled that it was a serious business. 

In addition to Bounce and Court TV, Katz Networks also runs Grit, Laff, Court TV Mystery and two networks launched July 1: Defy TV and TrueReal. 

Last year Katz Networks generated $257.5 million in revenue, up 13.4%. Along with Ion Media, purchased by Scripps this year, the Katz Networks are now part of Scripps Networks,  the TV-station owner’s new national networks division.

Scripps is not the only broadcaster looking to profit from their secondary digital channels. For example, Sinclair Broadcast Group has Comet, Charge and TBD and Tegna bought Quest and Justice for $77 million in 2019 and launched Twist in January.

Katz told Broadcasting+Cable he’s leaving Scripps to return to being an entrepreneur. “I do plan on creating a new company and just like the Katz Networks, that new company will start with the consumer,” he said. “It’s a lesson that I have certainly learned that success and scale are always driven by delighting consumers and serving their needs. And that is my plan.”

He declined to say when the new company will launch or exactly what business it will be in.

Katz said he was grateful to Scripps for investing in his company and subsequently buying it. “I enjoyed being part of the world-class team at Scripps,” he  said. 

“The company has been extremely profitable, growing double digits every year for Scripps,” he added. “I look forward to working in the same space and who knows? Maybe be partners again, someday.”

When Scripps formed its national network division by combining Katz Networks, Ion Media and Newsy, it named former CFO Lisa Knutson as president of Scripps Networks. Katz was named COO and head of entertainment for the National Networks unit, reporting to Knutson.

Katz said that at that point he hadn’t decided to leave Scripps. But he said “Lisa is brilliant and is so well-rounded from her experience at Scripps leading up to her becoming CFO and now president of the Networks division, There is simply no one better to help lead that segment for Scripps.”

In an email to staff, Knutson said “it is with regret that I share that Jonathan Katz has decided to leave us.”

She credited him with growing Katz Networks and helping to make Scripps Networks a leader in free TV.

“Jonathan has been a tremendous partner in getting the Scripps Networks business launched as well as hiring and promoting terrific people. The division is in great shape financially and organizationally, and we have built a strong foundation for our ongoing growth and success,” Knutson said.

Katz started his career with various programming, advertising, promotion, publicity, production and news positions at stations in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Charlotte and Tampa over 14 years. 

He moved to CNN as VP, marketing for CNN Newsource. He was senior VP and general manager for worldwide program planning and acquisition for Turner Broadcasting until 2009, and then started Bounce TV with Andrew Young and Martin Luther King III.

Discovery Inc. said it has extended the employment contract of CEO David Zaslav for five years, running through the end of 2023.

Zaslav, who joined Discovery in 2007 from NBC Universal,  has piloted Discovery through one of its greatest periods of growth. The company completed the $14.6 billion purchase of Scripps Networks Interactive in March and earlier this year announced that it will move its headquarters from Silver Spring, Md. to New York by 2019. 

Related: Zaslav Leaves NBC for Discovery 

“David has done a masterful job leading and growing Discovery over the last decade,” said Discovery board member and Liberty Media chair John Malone in a statement. “He is a visionary, a strategic builder and all around great guy. 

"Under David’s leadership, Discovery has scaled new heights becoming the leader in sports across Europe, building the leading global IP portfolio of high quality content, and positioning Discovery for continued global growth," Malone added. "We are lucky to have him.” 

Related: Discovery to Shut Down Maryland HQ, Move to NY 

Along the way Zaslav has helped refocus Discovery on the international market, buying European sports networks Eurosport in 2015, securing Olympic Games broadcast rights through 2024 and just last month, landing a 12-year, $2 billion deal for PGA Tour rights outside of the U.S. 

Related: Discovery Secures European Olympic TV Rights 

“I am thrilled,” Zaslav said in a statement. “Leading Discovery is my dream job. I would like to thank Discovery’s Board of Directors, fantastic management team, business partners, and all of our passionate superfans around the world for helping to make Discovery the unparalleled company it is today. Together, we are building something special. The new Discovery has the leading IP portfolio of beloved brands in the world, reaching viewers globally on every screen and service. 

"Being at Discovery for the past 11 years has been the privilege of my career," Zaslav added. "I am confident our brand strength, global platform and marketplace differentiation will ensure that Discovery continues to grow and deliver value to our viewers, partners and shareholders for many years to come.”

Related: Discovery Selects NY’s Flatiron District for New Headquarters 

As part of his new employment deal, Zaslav’s annual base salary will remain constant at $3 million, and he will be eligible for a $9 million bonus in 2018. According to the deal, that potential bonus will grow to a maximum of $22 million annually after 2019. Zaslav also will be eligible for additional stock option awards. A significant holder of Discovery stock, Zaslav has committed to hold the majority of his equity from stock grants to term, which the company said furthers the alignment of shareholder and management interests.

“A dynamic, creative, and passionate leader, David is a builder and an innovator, laser focused on creating value,” said Discovery chair Robert Miron in a statement. “This multi-year commitment affirms our confidence in David’s leadership, and on behalf of the entire Board of Directors, we are excited for David and his strong management team to drive further success and growth in this next chapter of the new Discovery.”

Watch MCN: Media's CEOs by the Numbers

Discovery Communications is positioning itself to help distributors find the net while looking for new content to fill traditional and non-traditional pay TV offerings both in the U.S. and internationally, CEO David Zaslav told analysts Thursday.

On a conference call with analysts to discuss third-quarter results, Zaslav said Discovery sees its pending purchase of Scripps Networks Interactive in furthering that strategy, giving it the compelling content that traditional and non-traditional distributors crave.

Zaslav said that the future seems to be pointing to large tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple getting deeper into the content delivery weeds. But as they expand their offerings, they’re going to need to partner with content creators.

Related > Facebook Willing to Experiment With Video

“We think that if Apple wanted to do a deal with one person and offer a Family Pak everywhere in the world, or if Facebook wanted to do that or Amazon or if the mobile players wanted to do it in Europe, who could they go to?” Zaslav asked on the call. “There [are] very few companies; it’s maybe less than three.”

Discovery and Scripps, which have established worldwide brands, are among that group.

“We see Scripps as a beginning,” Zaslav said. “Within two years we will be less than three-and-a-half-times levered. And we will be looking for what other IP do we have, how do we accelerate direct-to-consumer, how do we accelerate our overall market share. We think we are trying to be where the ball is. We see those big distributors are looking more and more for the ball, and the ball for them is content.”

Related > Discovery-Scripps: Thin Is In

Zaslav has been a big proponent of skinny bundles, and he has continued to point out how in Europe, sports-free packages are prevalent. On the call he said that the lack of a compelling non-sports bundle is one of the factors in the 3% decline in pay TV subscribers, and predicted such smaller offerings would become prevalent in the U.S., eventually.

While Discovery has had success with smaller bundles in Europe, it has been missing from key offerings in the U.S. from Hulu and YouTube. But Zaslav pointed out that Discovery is on DirecTVNow and Sony PlayStation Vue and is in talks with other OTT providers for carriage, He hinted that could come after the Scripps deal closes, expected early next year.

Media and telecom deal volumes and values were up significantly in the third quarter, fueled by a growing belief that lighter regulation and economic benefits will prevail, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report.

Volumes rose 9% to 238 deals in Q3, their highest point in the past two years, compared to Q2 this year, according to PwC's Q3 2017 Deal Insights report. Values topped $31.6 billion, up 76% form the second quarter and fueled by seven megadeals. PwC defines megadeals as transactions above $1 billion in value. Leading that list was Discovery Communications’ pending $11.8 billion purchase (not including debt) of Scripps Networks Interactive.

According to PC, the Advertising and Marketing sector made up for the biggest chunk of volume – about 80 deals. In the Broadcasting sector deal volume rose 50% to 13 deals. The Broadcast and Telecommunications (42 deals) sectors, both hit two-year highs as well.  

“While the shift to digital was all the rage only a couple of years ago, market participants are realizing that a compelling digital platform may only be part of the solution and won’t satisfy sophisticated investors and stakeholders,” PwC wrote. “The ultimate goal: taking that sticky digital platform you’ve built or acquired and maximizing the underlying data to (i) improve customer engagement and (ii) identify direct or tangential service offerings, which can improve the monetization of said user base.”

Rounding out the megadeals were Crown Castle International’s $7.1 billion purchase of Lightower Fiber Networks (Telecom); and two sports franchise deals: Tilman Fertitta’s $2.2 billion acquisition of the NBA’s Houston Rockets and an investor group’s (led by Bruce Sherman and former New York Yankee Derek Jeter) purchase of the MLB Miami Marlins for $1.2 billion (Recreation and Leisure).

In the Internet & Information sector, The Walt Disney Co.’s $1.6 billion purchase of a majority stake in BAMTech led the pack,  while Atlantic Broadband Group’s $1.4 billion purchase of Metrocast Cablevision rounded out the Telecom list.

BTIG media analyst Rich Greenfield has long warned that the traditional programming model was eroding more rapidly than the industry thinks, telling traditional programmers that if they don’t do a deal quickly, they may be too late. While that stance has led to varied and emotional response from content companies, recent deals seem to show that at least some programming execs may have been listening.

“Over the past 10 months, industry fundamentals have eroded with it becoming increasingly clear to investors that the era of cable networks’ over-earning at the expense of the consumer is coming to a screeching halt,” Greenfield wrote in a blog Wednesday.

After AT&T’s blockbuster announcement to purchase Time Warner for $108.7 billion in stock, cash and assumed debt, the floodgates were expected to open with programmers all seeking a way out of what is a rapidly changing business. That didn’t happen but there have been some deals – Lionsgate’s $4.4 billion buy of Starz and last week, Discovery Communications’ $14.6 billion agreement to purchase Scripps Networks Interactive. Greenfield pointed to the heavy cash components of some of those deals – AT&T/Time Warner at 50%; and Discovery/Scripps at 70% -- as an indication that programmers are losing faith in the future.

Now, that might not seem to be entirely fair. Discovery and Scripps, for their part, have said their deal is a means to secure continued strong affiliate fee increases and could lay the groundwork for a future direct-to-consumer offering, much like what Greenfield and other analysts have been proposing for other programmers. And AT&T-Time Warner hasn't been completed yet, so there is still a chance for that deal.   

But historically, companies make all-stock acquisitions for two reasons – tax implications and a hope that as the stock rises the deal is worth more down the road. Taking mostly cash usually means that you don’t believe that the stock is going to appreciate. Or, if you're an individual, you won't be around long enough to see it appreciate.

Not to say all those all-stock deals were good -- AOL’s purchase of Time Warner Inc. in 2000, anyone? – but they were struck with an optimistic eye toward the horizon. That seems to have disappeared as programmers struggle with rapidly changing viewership trends, declining advertising and declining subscribers.

“Lack of confidence in the future is clearly driving a strong desire for cash-heavy exits,” Greenfield wrote. “Now the question is should everyone head for the exit and who will try to scale up to temporarily mitigate the secular challenges facing the legacy media industry?”

For Greenfield, the next steps should involve laundry list of programmers, but the most interesting in my book involve Disney, Fox, and AMC. I encourage you to investigate his blog to get the details.

Greenfield has been a staunch critic of Disney and its falling ESPN subscribers, but at this point he believes only the biggest tech giants can afford a deal, and they’re not biting. Instead, he sees Disney making a “series of strategic acquisitions in the coming year to diversify away from cable networks and build direct-to-consumer relationships and data on their consumers.”

At Fox, Greenfield hopes they will follow Time Warner’s lead and be acquired, but given Murdoch family control, he doesn’t expect that to happen. Fox has instead focused on consolidating it’s U.K. satellite company Sky – still winding through the approval process.

Smaller programmers like AMC, he noted, have done some interesting content deals with YouTube TV, Charter and Comcast, but Greenfield sees them as more a seller than buyer. For MSG Networks, the analyst expects it will be the same, more likely as a tuck-in acquisition for Fox, Comcast or another distributor with exposure to the NY market.

Perhaps the most interesting Greenfield scenario is for Comcast/NBCUniversal. Greenfield notes that NBCU made a mid-sized content purchase -- DreamWorks Animation for about $4 billion in 2016 – but he has higher hopes.

“Given the unique regulatory environment, we continue to believe Comcast should attempt an M&A Hail Mary by trying to buy Charter and if they want to focus on smaller deals with less regulatory risk, Spotify, Twitter and MGM would all be at the top of our lists,” he wrote.

Discovery Communications said it signed a definitive agreement to buy Scripps Networks Interactive for $14.6 billion in cash and stock.

The price equals $90 a share, according to the companies—up 34% from where Scripps Networks was trading before sales rumors started on July 18. Viacom had also expressed interest in buying Scripps Networks, but bowed out of the bidding last week.

The move creates a larger programmer at a time when the industry is consolidating. But the new company still must operate in a challenging environment in which pay TV subscribers are falling and television advertising spending is growing slowly and facing strong competition from digital media.

Related: Analysts: Discovery-Scripps Merger Won’t Solve Problems

Neither company has links to a U.S. broadcaster or major domestic sports rights, so it will remain to be seen how much leverage the combined company will have with distributors.

“This is an exciting new chapter for Discovery," Discovery CEO David Zaslav said in a statement. "Scripps is one of the best run media companies in the world with terrific assets, strong brands and popular talent and formats. Our business is about great storytelling, authentic characters and passionate super fans. We believe that by coming together with Scripps, we will create a stronger, more flexible and more dynamic media company with a global content engine that can be fully optimized and monetized across our combined networks, products and services in every country around the world.”

Related: Discovery, Scripps Report Q2 Earnings

Discovery and Scripps will have nearly 20% share of ad-supported pay-TV audiences in the U.S., the companies said. Additionally, the combination will be home to five of the top pay-TV networks for women and will account for over 20% share of women watching primetime pay-TV in the U.S.

While making the announcement that Discovery Communications had agreed to buy Scripps Networks Interactive, the two companies released second- quarter financial results.

Discovery said its second-quarter net income dropped 8% to $374 million. The company attributed the downturn to currency fluctuations, losses from equity and solar investments. Earnings per share were 64 cents, down from 66 cents a year ago.

Revenue at Discovery rose 2% to $1.745 billion.

At Discovery’s U.S. networks, operating income rose 4% to $567 million. Revenue rose 2% to $890 million.

Distribution revenue was up 4%, while ad revenue hit $472 million, flat versus $471 million a year ago.

Scripps Networks Interactive’s preliminary results for the second quarter shows income from operations before income taxes were $400.8 million, up 20.8%.

Read more at B&C.

Discovery Communications is in talks to combine with Scripps Networks Interactive, according to a report in theWall Street Journal.

Terms of the potential deal couldn’t be learned by the paper, which added that another bidder for Scripps could emerge.

The report come amid difficult times in the cable TV business as more consumers drop their pay TV subscriptions and watch digital video instead.

Discovery and Scripps both own mainly non-fiction cable channels and do not have ties to the broadcast networks or sports franchises that would make them must-haves as programming bundles get skinnier.

Go to broadcastingcable.com for the full story.

Two Scripps Networks outlets are bolstering their real-estate programming, giving a third-season order to Egypt Sherrod-hosted Flipping Virgins on HGTV and scheduling a Tuesday, July 11 (10 p.m. ET/PT) debut for Rustic Renovation on DIY.

Flipping Virgins has property ace Sherrod guiding novice house-flippers through the vagaries of buying, renovating and selling homes, and it will return for 13 more episodes, HGTV said.

Rustic Renovation features a pair of brothers, Chase and Brock Jurgensen, a licensed contractor and talented woodworker, respectively, taking run-down family cabins in Minnesota and turning them into stylish living spaces with rustic charm. (Scripps networks have a thing for brothers as hosts.) The first episode sees the brothers renovating a 1950s era lakeside cabin that's been the same family for four generations.

Travel Channel has ordered a 10-episode season of Booze Traveler: Best Bars, in which host Jack Maxwell seeks out the best bars and drinks in the United States for various occasions. His globe-trotting hour-long series Booze Traveler, meanwhile, returns for its 16-episode third season on Monday, Dec. 12, at 10 p.m.

Best Bars (half-hour episodes) goes into production soon and is set to debut in Spring 2017, the Scripps Networks outlet said. “Jack’s curiosity and adventurous spirit is infectious – fans love following him around the world,” Courtney White, senior vice president, programming, Travel Channel said in a release. “The new series is a great opportunity for our viewers to rediscover well-known American cities by getting an inside look at the best neighborhood bars.”

Scripps Networks Interactive and Tribune Media said they have agreed to extend their joint ownership of Food Network. Terms of the multi-year agreement were not disclosed.

Scripps owns 68.7% of the channel and Tribune 31.3%. The deal periodically comes up for review and Scripps has said on several occasions that it would buy out its partner if the price was right.

Analysts believed Tribune would sell the interest – valued at about $1.5 billion at the time – when Tribune Media’s former parent, Tribune Co., emerged from bankruptcy protection  in 2012. Instead, Tribune decided to hold on to the stake.

 “Food Network is the strongest food media brand across the globe and continues to grow its footprint around the world,” said Scripps Networks chairman and CEO Ken Lowe in a statement. “We are very happy to be able to continue our long relationship with Tribune Media to grow this business for the long-term.”

 According to Scripps Networks’ 10-Q quarterly financial statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in August, the partnership was set to expire on Dec. 31.   

“We’re extremely pleased to be extending our partnership with Scripps Networks Interactive for Food Network, which has become the gold standard for cable networks of all kinds,” said Tribune Media CEO Peter Liguori in a statement.  “We look forward to continued success in the years ahead.”

Scripps Networks Interactive is the latest programmer to sign a carriage deal with AT&T, agreeing to a long-term multi-platform pact that pushes the total number of channels available to its upcoming over-the-top offering DirecTV Now closer to its stated 100-plus goal.

The Scripps deal includes carriage of its lifestyle networks like Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, DIY and Great American Country on U-Verse TV and DirecTV as well as streaming services DirecTV Now and DirecTV Freeview.

AT&T began signing carriage deals for DirecTV Now in August with HBO and Cinemax. In September it reached agreements with Discovery Communications, Disney, Turner, and NBC Universal.  At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference yesterday, AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan said all of its networks will be part of the DirecTV Now package. In a Securities & Exchange Commission filing Thursday, Starz said it reached a multiplatform deal with AT&T, including DirecTV Now, on Sept. 17.

AT&T CEO Randall Stepenson said at the Communacoipia confewrence yesterday that DirecTV Now was about "90% there" in terms of carriage agreements for the service.

In a statement, Scripps Networks said its AT&T deal is line with its strategy to make its content available to consumers at any time on any device.    

“We value our ongoing and expanding relationship with AT&T and DirecTV, and look forward to working together to expand consumer choice and convenience,” said SNI president, content distribution and marketing Henry Ahn in a statement.

DirecTV Now is slated for a fourth quarter launch and is expected to offer more than 100 channels of live and on demand programming. The offering is a continuation of AT&T's mobility strategy and has been called a "game changer" by top executives.

“Through this new, expansive agreement our customers will be able to enjoy the entire family of Scripps Networks content virtually anytime, anywhere across all AT&T platforms.” said AT&T chief content officer Dan York in a statement. “Scripps Networks’ content will deliver more value as an important part of AT&T’s new DirecTV Now and DirecTV Freeview streaming services.” 

Scripps Networks' international division chief Jim Samples will take over as president of Polish network group TVN, after the departure of current CEO Markus Tellenbach and while the company searches for a permanent replacement.

In a statement, Scripps Networks said Samples, already head of TVN’s supervisory board, will become president of TVN’s management board, based in its Warsaw offices and will lead the company until a new senior executive is named “in due course.”  

Tellenbach is stepping down almost a year after Scripps Networks purchased TVN in September. 

Recently, SNL Kagan singled out Poland as a growing market in Europe for digital entertainment. 

“TVN has been an incredibly valuable acquisition for Scripps Networks, and continues to break new ground in developing and monetizing compelling content for Polish audiences,” Scripps Networks chairman and CEO Ken Lowe said in a statement. “Markus Tellenbach is an accomplished media executive who has positioned TVN for sustained growth in both the linear and digital businesses. We thank him for his leadership and collaboration since the acquisition by Scripps Networks, and for his service to TVN over the last seven years.

“Jim Samples has been instrumental in the success of our international business over the last year, and his deeper involvement in Poland will enable continued integration between TVN and our wider global operations,” Lowe continued. “The outstanding management team at TVN has been integral to the company’s recent success, and will ensure that the business continues to go from strength to strength in the future.”

TVN broadcasts three free-to-air channels: TVN, TVN 7 and TTV; and 10 thematic pay channels: TVN 24, TVN Style, TVN Turbo, TVN24 Bis; TVN Meteo Active, iTVN, iTVN Extra, TVN Fabula, Mango 24 and local NTL Radomsko distributed via cable and satellite operators. TVN also has an advertising sales division, TVN Media, which sells advertising across TVN’s portfolio and to third party networks.

“TVN is a vibrant and growing company that plays a key role in Scripps Networks’ international growth strategy,” Samples said in a statement. “This is a very exciting period for the company, and I’m looking forward to working even more closely with the management team and TVN’s employees over the coming months to continue to grow the business for the long term.”

Scripps Networks Interactive said it has promoted  long-time cable executive Derek Chang to the newly created position of head of international lifestyle channels.

Chang, who currently is SNI’s managing director, Asia-Pacific, will continue to report to International president Jim Samples and will relocate to London in July.

Chang joined Scripps three years ago after serving as executive vice president of content strategy and development at DirecTV. He is a long-time cable executive, serving in top roles at Charter Communications, Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network, GlobalCenter and TCI Communications/AT&T Broadband. 

 “Since joining Scripps Networks nearly three years ago, Derek has demonstrated a steady track record of building value for the company. We are confident that he is well suited to unlock untapped potential in the international marketplace,” Samples said in a statement.

In this new role, Chang will be responsible for leading and setting the strategic direction for the company’s international owned and operated lifestyle channels. Phillip Luff, Managing Director, UK & EMEA, and Eduardo Hauser, Managing Director, Latin America and the Caribbean will report to Chang.  He will also continue to directly manage the Asia-Pacific operations.

“We have a world class international senior leadership team driving the growth and expansion of Scripps Networks Interactive’s international business. Derek’s appointment to head up the regional teams headquartered in London, Singapore, and Miami reflects our commitment to building out our lifestyle channel portfolio across the globe,” Samples added.

Since its launch in 2009, the International Lifestyle Channels division now distributes seven entertainment brands including Asian Food Channel, Cooking Channel, DIY Network, Fine Living, Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel reaching nearly 165 million households in more than 175 countries and territories across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Since joining the company, Chang has successfully led the integration of Asian Food Channel into the Scripps Networks fold; introduced and launched HGTV, the company’s third global flagship, across Asia-Pacific and established the channel as the #1 lifestyle channel in Singapore. He also developed Scripps Networks’ unique entry strategy into Australia via free-to-air with significant branded output deals across all three categories – resulting in the launch of SBS Food Network as well as HGTV and Travel Channel programming blocks on 9Life.

Travel Channel said it has ordered a third season of Josh Gates-hosted Expedition Unknown, to air on the Scripps Networks outlet later this year. The channel reported that ratings for the current season (Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT) are 143% ahead of its time slot's average a year ago among persons ages 25 to 54 and also has more than doubled results in other key demographics including 183% for women ages 25 to 54.  

Gates, who also is an executive producer on the show, journeys around the world in search of answers to some of the world’s most fascinating and iconic legends and stories. 

“As one of the network’s highest-rated programs, Expedition Unknown has shaped a strong and successful Wednesday night for Travel Channel,”  Courtney White, senior vice president, programming and production, at Travel Channel said in a release. “Like Andrew Zimmern and Jack Maxwell, Josh Gates resonates with our fans – with over 5.4 million people tuning in each week to join him on his worldwide adventures. This season, we’re upping the ante with bold, ambitious adventures and mission-driven storytelling – you can’t help but get hooked.”

Scripps Networks Interactive said it will change its common stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to the NASDAQ Global Select Market later this month.

According to the company, SNI expects its common stock to cease trading on the NYSE effective at the market close on March 14 and to begin trading on the NASDAQ exchange on March 15. The company will retain its current ticker symbol “SNI.”

“We are excited to join the world’s most innovative companies listed on Nasdaq,” said SNI chairman and CEO Ken Lowe in a statement. “Nasdaq provides the deepest pool of liquidity in the U.S. market and a comprehensive suite of trading, visibility and corporate solutions powered by cutting-edge technology. We look forward to our partnership to further reach investors and customers worldwide.”

“Nasdaq is proud to be the listing venue of choice for Scripps Networks Interactive and a dedicated business partner for the company and its shareholders,” said NASDAQ chief operating officer Adena Friedman in a statement. “As the media industry evolves, Nasdaq remains committed to supporting innovators like Scripps Networks Interactive as they transform our entertainment experiences and continue to deliver captivating lifestyle content to their audiences in the U.S. and abroad.”

Scripps Networks Interactive is launching Scripps Lifestyle Studios, a new content studio aimed at advertisers to develop content across multiple platforms including social media, apps, web sites and third party digital media outlets.

The division, led by senior vice president & general manager Vikki Neil, will work with Scripps networks like HGTV, Food Network and Travel Channel, producing content and advertising solutions encompassing video, photography, social, live digital events, and written word editorial.

“This new creative hub will enable us to achieve significant additional scale across all digital platforms, and build on our leadership position in lifestyle content,” Scripps Networks chief operating officer Burton Jablin said in a statement. “The linear content we produce across our television networks is an essential element of the media plans of brands that want to reach large upscale adult audiences. With the creation of the Scripps Lifestyle Studios, we are making moves to ensure that we deliver that same audience across the broadest possible range of our own platforms and those of our partners.”

Scripps Lifestyle Studios will operate physical locations through the Food Network Kitchen in New York and the HGTV Studio in Knoxville, Tenn., and will bring together more than 100 culinary, home and travel experts to create unique content opportunities for consumers and advertisers. The food team’s content initiatives around Thanksgiving last month gave foodnetwork.com its biggest ever Thanksgiving Eve, with more than 30 million page views.

The Food Network Kitchen will become an important production hub, developing and producing food-related content on a daily basis, including for the company’s own digital platforms as well as third party services including Snapchat, Facebook and Periscope.

“Advertisers turn to us because of our unmatched ability to deliver high-quality audiences who want ideas, information and inspiration about home, food and travel,” Neil said in a statement. “With the Scripps Lifestyle Studios, we’re going to be able to reach even more people with high quality original content designed specifically for the platform on which it is delivered.”

In addition to Neil, the Scripps Lifestyle Studios management team includes former Martha Stewart Living executive Deb Puchalla as vice president of content development, and digital advertising specialist Traci Topham as senior vice president of Scripps Lifestyle Studios client solutions. Executive vice president of digital, Tamara Franklin, heads Scripps Networks Interactive’s digital business while executive vice president of digital ad sales, Beth Lawrence, heads digital advertising sales.

Scripps also plans social media events to bring content directly to fans, kicking off with a day-long cookie cookie party on Facebook Live on Dec. 11, featuring live holiday entertaining and baking fun with HGTV and Food Network takes place on Dec. 11. Bobby Flay and his daughter, Sophie, [pictured] will also cook together in videos for Food Network’s Discover channel on Snapchat. On Dec. 13, Alton Brown will take over the Snapchat channel, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at his favorite eats and revealing sabotage secrets from hit Food Network show Cutthroat Kitchen.

Scripps Networks Interactive has named Simone Nardi to managing director, Finance and Operations for its international division. Based in New York, he will continue to report to Jim Samples, president, International.

Nardi joined Scripps Networks in 2013 as the international Chief Financial Officer, will now manage finance and operational responsibilities, leading the international teams based in New York and Knoxville. His new duties will include finance, program licensing, and content and brand strategy. Additionally, he will serve as the principal liaison on all international technical operations, facilities and IT support.

 Nardi sits on the Board of Directors at UKTV, a joint venture with BBC Worldwide, and will now spearhead Scripps Networks Interactive’s joint venture relationship with Shaw Communications in Canada. 

“Simone is a fantastic leader and an integral member of my international executive team,” Samples said in a statement. “His vast international finance and operational experience coupled with his strategic insights have already contributed so greatly to the team during this period of rapid growth and investment in Scripps Networks’ international business.”

Prior to joining Scripps Networks, Nardi served as a senior vice president and CFO for NBC Universal’s international channels and television production operations. He has also served as vice president and CFO for NBC Universal’s business development division in New York and as interim CFO and Treasurer at Hulu.

Scripps Networks Interactive said it has completed the tender offer for the remaining shares of  Polish cable network TVN it didn't already own on Sept. 1, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Scripps agreed to purchase a 53% interest in TVN in March for $645 million.  According to Polish law, the media giant had to acquire at least 66% of the network within three months of closing the deal. Scripps said it officially closed the purchase in July  and had earlier said it intended to purchase 100% of the network.

TVN is one of the leading media companies in Poland with a portfolio of free-to-air and pay-TV lifestyle and entertainment channels including TVN, TVN 7, TVN Style, TTV, TVN Turbo as well as 24-hour news channel, TVN24, and business news channel TVN24 Biznes i Swiat.

According to the SEC documents, the offering price for the TVN stock was 20 Polish Zloty (PLN) ($5.27) per share, or about 3.2 billion PLN ($844 million).  On Sept. 1, Scripps purchased 156.7 million TVN shares through a subsidiary (Southbank Media) for 3.1 billon PLN, or $817 million, boosting its ownership in the company to 336 million TVN shares representing about 98.8% of its outstanding stock.

On Sept. 3, Scripps initiated a mandatory squeeze-out of the remaining shareholders by acquiring their TVN stock for 20 PLN each.  In accordance with Polish law, a 5-day squeeze-out period will begin Sept. 23, during which time Scripps will acquire the remaining 84 million shares of TVN. After the period ends, Scripps intends to delist TVN’s stock from the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

Scripps Networks Interactive acquired what it hopes will be the lynchpin in its international strategy, buying a 53% interest in Polish broadcaster, satellite TV, online and pat TV content provider TVN from ITI Group and Canal Plus Group in a deal valued at about $1.5 billion, including assumed debt.

According to Scripps, the U.S. content company will pay about $613 million in cash and assume about $882 million in TVN debt. Based in Warsaw, TVN includes a portfolio of free-to-air and pay TV lifestyle and entertainment channels including TVN, TVN 7, TVN Style, TTV, TVN Turbo and Poland’s leading 24-hour news channel (TVN 24) and business news channel (TVN 24 Biznes i Swiat).

Scripps Networks expects to close the deal early in the second half of this year. As per Polish law, Scripps will be required to tender for an additional 13% of the company at closing, ending with a 66% interest in TVN.

In a  note to clients, Evercore ISI Group media analysts Vijay Jayant and David Joyce wrote that while the TVN purchase may be a little expensive, it gives Scripps an inroad in what could be a lucrative market. Poland is one of the more established TV markets in Eastern Europe – it has a population of about 39 million people, 12.9 million TV households, 89% multichannel penetration and 54% broadband penetration, according to SNL Kagan.

“Strategically, this could be an important platform for SNI to leverage its existing library, apply its current formats, and use as a springboard for further European channel expansion,” Jayant and Joyce wrote.  

In a conference call with analysts, Scripps chairman and CEO Ken Lowe said TVN represents a strong growth opportunity for the programmer – Poland is one of the fastest growing TV markets in Europe.

“This deal provides Scripps with a solid presence and will be a key pillar of our international operations,” Lowe said on the conference call.

While Scripps backed off on the notion of TVN being a vehicle to roll up broadcasters in the region, the company’s programming and distribution assets – it owns a 32% stake in Poland’s leading satellite TV company nc+ and over-the-top service, TVN Player. In addition, TVN also has an in-house production arm and TVN produces 2,300 hours of original content each year.

The addition of TVN will immediately boost Scripps international scale. TVN had about $403 million in revenue in 2014, up about 4%, while adjusted cash flow increased 5% to about 184 million.

Lowe said on the conference call that after the deal is closed, the contribution to total consolidated revenue from international sources will increase nearly six-fold from about 3% to 17%. On a pro forma basis, Lowe said international will make up about one-quarter of SNI’s total business.

“This is an important step,” Lowe said. “We have frequently said we seek to invest in areas in which we see a great potential for growth. This investment represents precisely that investment philosophy.”

The Scripps Networks purchase mirrors what other content companies have done in recent years to offset declines in the domestic advertising market, especially Discovery Communications, which derives more than half of its overall revenue from outside of the U.S. While Scripps has had an international presence prior to the TVN deal – in 2011 it formed a joint venture with BBC Worldwide in the United Kingdom and its seven lifestyle brands (Food, HGTV, DIY, Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, Fine Living and Asian Food Channel) reach about 200 million homes in 180 countries – this is its biggest push into Eastern Europe.

According to Scripps, TVN is an advertising powerhouse – it secured about 33% of the ad market in Poland for its portfolio of networks as well as selling advertising for a number of other commercial broadcasters in the country.

HGTV said its 0.58 primetime rating among viewers ages 25-54 in February made that month the network's highest rated ever, surpassing the mark just set in January 2015.

HGTV said the primetime ratings grew 18% over that of February 2014. And on the weekends, 6% growth led to a 0.55 rating among viewers ages 25-54 on Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Series such as Ellen’s Design Challenge, Fixer Upper and Property Brothers led the way. More than 43 million total viewers watched HGTV in primetime in February, the Scripps Networks outlet said.

The finale of the Ellen DeGeneres show airs Monday, March 2, at 9 p.m. ET/PT as the last two competitors -- Tim McClellan of Durango, Colo., and Katie Stout of Brooklyn, N.Y. -- go head-to-head to win a $100,000 cash prize courtesy of Wayfair.com and a feature in HGTV Magazine. HGTV said it finished second among women ages 25-54 and first among upscale women in that bracket among cable networks.

Caption: Ellen's Design Challenge finalists Katie Stout (left) and Tim McClellan (center) speak to Ellen DeGeneres (right) before the last round of competition on the HGTV furniture design series. (Photo: Business Wire.)

HGTV said it has greenlighted four new shows in the theme of buying "the worst home on the best block" and then restoring and potentially re-selling it, a theme that has been successful at the Scripps Networks outlet (see " 'Flip Or Flop' Notches Series High"). They are likely to make their debut this summer, the network said, with scheduling yet to be determined.

In Flipping Virgins (a working title), property expert Egypt Sherrod (pictured) advises first-time flippers the ultimate tutorial in the risky world of flipping houses.

Old Home Love (w.t.) showcases Utah couple Andy and Candis Meredith as they renovate dilapidated houses from the 1800s and restore them to their original beauty.

Shalina Joy, a New Jersey teacher and single mom of two, takes on her biggest summer vacation project ever: transforming a run-down 1900s mansion into a sunny, functional home for her family in Restoring Victoria, also a working title.

And Flipping Moms gives popular authors and mom bloggers Jen Pate and Barb Machen center stage as they try to balance busy family lives with buying, renovating and selling fixer uppers. 

“Viewers are very interested in renovation and flipping when it leads to the outcome that every community wants -- restored, well-maintained homes,” Allison Page, general manager, HGTV and DIY Network, said in a release. “HGTV has had tremendous success with series like Rehab Addict and Fixer Upper which showcase real people who have a passion for renovating older properties to enhance their value to the overall community.”

HGTV had a solid 2014, a down year for most cable programmers, with primetime ratings growing 4%. Top viewed series were Property Brothers, Property Brothers at Home, Flipping the Block and Tiny House Hunters, per the network.

Scripps Networks Interactive reported higher fourth-quarter earnings, despite nearly flat advertising revenues.

Net income rose 21% to $132 million, or 96 cents a share, including a 6 cent charge for restructuring, from $109 million, or 73 cents a share, a year ago. The year-ago results included a 17 cents per share writedown of goodwill.

Revenues rose 2.3% to $669 million. Advertising revenue edged up 0.7% to $454 million.

“The strength of our lifestyle media brands and the connections they make with consumers and advertisers enabled the company to maintain its record of growth and creating shareholder value for the quarter and the full year,” CEO Ken Lowe said in a statement.  “The company is in a great position to capitalize on the many opportunities in an ever changing media environment.”

For 2015, the company said it expected revenue to rise about 4%, cost of services to rise 8% to 10% and selling, general and administrative expenses to be down 2% to flat.

In the fourth quarter, Scripps Networks’ Lifestyle media segment profits rose 1% to $298 million, pressured by restructuring expenses and higher program amortization costs.

Lifestyle media revenues rose 1.7% to $642 million. Affiliate fees grew 6.1% to $191 million, but ad revenues were up only 0.3% to $444 million, reflecting “softness in the advertising market and audience delivery at some of our networks,” the company said.

Operating revenues were down 2.9% at Travel Channel, off 1.1% at Food Network and dropped 2.6% at Great American Country. Operating revenues were up 4.4% at HGTV, 7% at DIY Network, and 9.8% at Cooking Channel.

Scripps Networks Interactive said it completed the issuance of $1 billion in senior notes on Nov. 24, proceeds of which will be used to pay down existing debt.

Scripps said on Monday that it completed the sale of the notes -- $500 million in 2.75% senior notes due 2019 and $500 million in 3.9% senior notes due 2024 on Nov. 24. Previously the parent of the Food Network and  HGTV, said it intended to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes including, but not limited to paying off at maturity its $885 million in 3.55% senior notes due Jan. 15, which were issued by its Travel Channel subsidiary, according to Moody’s Investor’s Service.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch; J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC; Wells Fargo Securities, LLC; and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.  

Scripps Networks Interactive said it has priced a $1 billion bond offering, part of the proceeds of which will be used to pay down existing debt.

The sale of the senior notes -- $500 million of 2.75% senior notes due 2019 and $500 million of 3.90% senior notes due 2024 is expected to close on Nov. 24, subject to customary closing conditions.

Scripps Networks, parent of the Food Network and  HGTV, said it intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes including, but not limited to paying off at maturity its $885 million in 3.55% senior notes due Jan. 15, which were issued by its Travel Channel subsidiary, according to Moody’s Investor’s Service.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch; J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC; Wells Fargo Securities, LLC; and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.  

HGTV's top-rated series Love It or List It, starring real estate expert David Visentin and designer Hilary Farr (pictured), is heading to Raleigh-Durham, N.C., to begin production for season 10. Producers at Big Coat Productions are actively seeking potential homeowners who are torn between renovating their existing home and relocating to a new residence, HGTV said. UPDATE: Local residents (in the Raleigh-Durham) area can apply to be a part of the show by visiting: www.thecastinggroup.com.

In each hour-long episode of Love It or List It, Visentin and Farr compete to earn the homeowners' final decision to renovate and stay in their current home or opt for a new one. She renovates and redecorates the worn-out home to increase its value and ensure that it meets the homeowners’ current needs, while he activates his real estate expertise and insights to identify newer listings for the homeowners’ consideration, HGTV said in a release. In the end, the homeowners decide to stay in their newly transformed space or replace it with a new home.

Ellen DeGeneres has signed on as executive producer for a six-episode design competition series on HGTV, Scripps Networks revealed at its upfront event in New York. The series, Ellen’s Design Challenge, is produced in part by her production company, A Very Good Production, and scheduled to premiere in 2015. The show will feature six contestants designing and building furniture as they compete for a cash prize.  

“There has been a lot of dancing in our halls since we shared that we will be collaborating with Ellen,” Kathleen Finch, president, HGTV and DIY Network, said in a release. “When she talked to us about her love of buying and renovating homes, her personal passion for the creative process of furniture design emerged as something that she wanted to explore more. Since HGTV is the ultimate forum in this space, and since no other network can deliver an audience who is as enthusiastic as she is about the creative process, we just had to make it happen.”

Scripps Networks also detailed new series on Food Network, Cooking Channel and the DIY Network following Cablevision's decision to add the latter two networks to its Optimum TV lineup.

DIY has followed HGTV's lead by enlisting celebrity personalities to grow its “celebrity home rehab” franchise. The network will follow William Shatner’s home renovation in October’s premiere of The Shatner Project, and Daryl Hall’s renovation of an 18th-century Connecticut home will be featured in July’s premiere of Daryl’s Restoration Over-Hall. 

Food Network and Cooking Channel also look to increase their originals with 35 new series on the table for the upcoming year. 

“Increasing our development slate to satiate the audience demand for entertaining and informative programming has been our focus,” Brooke Johnson, president of Food Network & Cooking Channel, said in a release. “Food Network will be launching new shows we believe fans are hungry for while Cooking Channel offers an exciting complement of flavors and cuisines; all-in-all 2014 represents a year where we have something to offer for every taste.” 

New series on tap for Food Network’s prime time include Kitchen Casino, a cooking competition show hosted by Bill Rancic, and America’s Best Cook, a cooking competition show featuring Food Network chefs Cat Cora, Tyler Florence, Alex Guarnaschelli and Michael Symon. Rewrapped, the offshoot of junk food series Unwrapped, finds Joey Fatone hosting and Marc Summers serving as head judge as contestants incorporate classic snack items into new recipes. 

New series on Cooking Channel include Siba’s Table, which features Siba Mtongana exploring her native South Africa’s local cuisine, and Real Girl’s Kitchen with Haylie Duff, which offers an inside look at the actor and artist’s life. 

Food Network and Cooking Channel also plan to return over 30 popular series to the networks. 

New programming announcements continued at the Scripps Networks upfront event with the unveiling of a development slate of eight original series potentially for Travel Channel. The network greenlit eight pilots for production, including Breaking Borders, Guiding Alaska and Adventure Capitalists (all working titles). 

“This has been an exciting time where we’ve discovered a treasure trove of compelling storytellers and inspirational talent,” Ross Babbit, SVP of Programming & Development, Travel Channel, said in a release. “We’re excited to move ahead with our new development slate that not only spotlights a fresh group of authentic talent and experts in global locations, but also delivers an immersive travel entertainment experience.”