E.W. Scripps Company to Launch Grit and Escape & Expand LAFF Distribution In New Multi-Network Agreement with Katz Broadcasting Deal Covers 18 Markets, Makes Grit Available in 93 Million Households, Escape in 70 Million HH & LAFF in 64 Million

ATLANTA (May 18, 2015) – The E.W. Scripps Company will carry the three emerging Katz Broadcasting television networks – launching Escape and Grit in multiple markets while expanding distribution of LAFF – as part of a major new affiliation agreement announced today.

In the multi-year agreement, Scripps will launch:
· Escape on its stations in: Detroit (WMYD-TV), Indianapolis (WRTV-TV), Kansas City (KMCI-TV), Milwaukee (WTMJ-TV), Cincinnati (WCPO-TV), Buffalo (WKBW-TV), Fort Myers (WFTX-TV), Green Bay (WACY-TV), Omaha (KMTV-TV), Boise (KIVI-TV) and Twin Falls (KSAW-TV).

· LAFF in Nashville (WTVF-TV), Milwaukee (WTMJ-TV), Las Vegas (KTNV-TV), Fort Myers (WFTX-TV), Green Bay (WGBA-TV), Tucson (KGUN-TV), Omaha (KMTV-TV), Boise, (KIVI-TV) and Twin Falls (KSAW-TV).

· Grit in Tampa (WFTS-TV), Kansas City (KSHB-TV), Las Vegas (KTNV-TV) and Green Bay (WACY-TV).

With the Scripps distribution in place, Grit will be available in 93 million homes and 80 percent of the country, Escape in 70 million homes/60 percent and LAFF will be in 64 million households/55 percent of the U.S.

Scripps already carries LAFF on its stations in Detroit (WXYZ-TV), Phoenix (KNXV-TV), Tampa (WFTS-TV), Denver (KMGH-TV), Cleveland (WEWS-TV), Indianapolis (WRTV-TV), Baltimore (WMAR-TV), San Diego (KGTV-TV), Kansas City (KSHB-TV), Cincinnati (WCPO-TV), West Palm Beach (WPTV-TV), Buffalo (WKBW-TV) and Tulsa (KJRH-TV).

Action-oriented Grit reaches men ages 25-54, and is built around the classic male hero archetype with a heavy focus on westerns, war and action movies. Escape targets women ages 25-54 with a mix of theatrical movies, and off-network series anchored in stories of crime and mystery. Grit and Escape just launched eight months ago. LAFF, which just debuted on April 15, features a mix of contemporary off-network sitcoms and popular movies, with a target audience of adults ages 18-49.
“Grit, Escape and LAFF are unique and attractive demo-specific networks that will add great value to our stations in these markets, as we’ve seen with our current LAFF distribution,” commented Brian Lawlor, senior vice president for the Scripps broadcast division. “With the acquisition of the Journal stations now complete, we wanted to expand that distribution even further.”

“Scripps is a great distribution partner that understands very well that demo-targeted networks like LAFF, Grit and Escape will help their stations grow and prosper,” said Jeffrey Wolf, Chief Distribution Officer for Katz Broadcasting. “We are thrilled to expand our relationship with them.”

Katz Broadcasting was established in 2014 by Bounce TV founder/COO and former Turner Broadcasting executive Jonathan Katz. Katz is President and CEO of the company while also still serving as COO of Bounce TV, the nation’s first and only over-the-air television network for African Americans.

The E.W. Scripps Company serves audiences and businesses through a growing portfolio of television, radio and digital media brands. Scripps is one of the nation’s largest independent TV station owners, with 33 television stations in 24 markets and a reach of nearly one in five U.S. households. It also owns 34 radio stations in eight markets. When Scripps and the former Journal Communications merged their broadcast assets in early 2015, they also spun off their respective newspapers, creating a new public company, Journal Media Group. Scripps also runs an expanding collection of local and national digital journalism and information businesses, including mobile video news service Newsy and weather app developer WeatherSphere. Scripps also produces television shows including The List and The Now, runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and serves as the long-time steward of the nation’s largest, most successful and longest-running educational program, the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, “Give light and the people will find their own way.”