Scripps Making Free Airtime Available to Candidates in Upcoming Campaigns

Scripps Making Free Airtime Available to Candidates in Upcoming Campaigns

Television stations launching Democracy 2008 initiative

CINCINNATI, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP) is launching Democracy 2008, a public discourse initiative that will make free airtime available to political candidates on the nine network- affiliated television stations operated by the company.

The Scripps stations will provide five minutes of free airtime to candidates nightly between 5 p.m. and 11:35 p.m. in the 30 days preceding the general elections in 2008. The stations also will provide free airtime as needed during the 30 days preceding primary elections. The Scripps television station group successfully implemented a similar free airtime policy during the national elections in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006.

"Democracy 2008 was developed in support of our responsibility as journalists and broadcasters to promote public discourse and a strong democracy," said Bill Peterson, senior vice president for the Scripps Television Station Group. "This initiative will concentrate on bringing individual citizens and groups of citizens into an active dialogue with candidates."

Here are the key elements of Democracy 2008:

-- Scripps stations will provide a minimum of five minutes of free airtime to candidates daily between 5 p.m. and 11:35 p.m. in the 30 days preceding the general elections. The stations will also provide free airtime as needed during the 30 days preceding primary elections. The free airtime will be offered to candidates in a variety of formats including debates, extended interviews, issue statements or responses to citizens' inquiries.

-- Internet sites operated by Scripps television stations will feature election-related content labeled, "Democracy 2008," that will include candidate positions on issues, voter registration information, information on the offices being sought and descriptions of political jurisdictional boundaries. Links to candidate Web sites will be included when available.

-- "Get out the vote" public service announcements will be given priority clearance in each station's public service inventory during the 30-day period prior to a primary and general election.

-- Scripps stations will concentrate editorially on exploring key local issues during each of the 30 days leading up to the general election. News coverage will be developed through an interactive process with local citizens and citizen groups.

-- Each Scripps station will concentrate on reviewing the context and accuracy of political advertisements.

-- Scripps stations will pursue special programming such as town meetings and debates during the 30 days leading up to the general election.

Making free airtime available to political candidates was one of the primary recommendations made in 2000 by the President's Advisory Committee on the Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters.

The Scripps television stations are concentrated in the top 40 U.S. markets and reach about 10 percent of the nation's television households. Participating in Democracy 2008 are the company's six ABC-affiliated stations, WXYZ, Detroit; WCPO, Cincinnati; WEWS, Cleveland; WFTS, Tampa, Fla.; WMAR, Baltimore; and KNXV, Phoenix. Also participating are the company's three NBC- affiliated stations, WPTV, West Palm Beach, Fla.; KSHB, Kansas City, Mo.; and KJRH, Tulsa, Okla.

About Scripps

The E. W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP) (www.scripps.com) is a diverse and growing media enterprise with interests in national cable networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, interactive media, and licensing and syndication.

The company's portfolio of media properties includes: Scripps Networks, with such brands as HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country; daily and community newspapers in 15 markets and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center, home to the Scripps Howard News Service; 10 broadcast TV stations, including six ABC-affiliated stations, three NBC affiliates and one independent; Scripps Interactive Media, including leading online search and comparison shopping services, Shopzilla and uSwitch; and United Media, a leading worldwide licensing and syndication company that is the home of PEANUTS, DILBERT and approximately 150 other features and comics.

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Source: The E.W. Scripps Company

CONTACT: Mark Kroeger of The E.W. Scripps Company, +1-513-977-3827,
or email, Mark.Kroeger@scripps.com

Web site: http://www.scripps.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment