No Bonus For You!

Here is the end-of-the-year message from Scripps CEO Adam Symson.

As one Scripps employee said to FTVLive, “ya' know what isn't mentioned here...anything about a year end bonus...gift card...something??? Not like they had great profits w/election season...oh did we mention they're launching a scripps "sports" network, too. Seems like plenty of $$ going through the company.”

Here’s the memo obtained by FTVLive:

Colleagues:

 Despite the challenges we faced together, I’ll look back on 2022 as another year marked by progress on the long and adventurous timeline for this company. After having transformed the business, the moves we’ve made have put us on firm financial footing, better positioned to weather this post-pandemic inflation-driven economy and carry out the Scripps mission.

 In just its second year in existence, the Scripps Networks division significantly expanded upon its dominance in free television by launching seven networks into the fast-growing connected TV marketplace. It quickly became clear that our programming is highly sought after on these connected devices, benefitting Scripps and our distribution partners. Scripps Networks continues to establish itself in the national advertising marketplace as an exceptional way for brands to reach large premium audiences. It’s because of your focus, determination and creativity that our networks continue to grow, expanding audience and revenue share.

 Not even the Omicron variant could keep the Scripps National Spelling Bee from safely bringing together hundreds of competitors and their families from across the nation to Washington, D.C., for the return of Bee Week. The competition and celebration were capped off by a finals that came down to a nail-biting lightning round. And, for the first time in company history, the Scripps Bee was televised nationwide on our Scripps Networks broadcast and digital platforms, reaching 7.5 million viewers and driving a substantial 147% increase in ratings for the Finals.

 Across the country, our local television stations continued their work in service to their communities — both audiences and advertisers — demonstrating again the power of the Scripps commitment to mission. When tornadoes, wildfires and hurricanes impacted our markets, you were there keeping people informed and safe. I’m incredibly proud of how our colleagues in Southwest Florida performed during and after Hurricane Ian. And in partnership with the Scripps Howard Fund and the Scripps family, the company rallied to financially support these employees and their communities as they began to rebuild.

 As a result of our commitment to a differentiated content strategy, underpinned by enterprise and investigative journalism, Scripps’ work was honored for excellence with multiple prestigious DuPont, Peabody, Sigma Delta Chi and local and national Emmy awards. While we don’t do it for the awards, industry recognition acknowledges the outstanding work you do in support of a healthy news ecosystem for this country.

 Likewise, our television stations and connected TV and digital platforms continue to prove their value in support of the Main Street economy, even in the midst of this uncertain economic environment. And when our democracy brings an election, politicians and their advocates depend most on our medium to reach likely voters, this year delivering record midterm election revenue for the company.

 The tight labor market has sometimes stretched our teams thin, making your jobs even more challenging, especially in our newsrooms. Thank you for everything you are doing to serve this company, your colleagues, our communities and American democracy. While we’ve regrettably seen good team members leave, often opting for work outside of the media industry, I am exceptionally proud to report that, so far in 2022, we have welcomed 1,777 new employees, drawn to Scripps by our reputation for a commitment to the mission. Of these new employees, 37.5% are people of color and 48% are women. Our focus on a welcoming and inclusive culture and intentional hiring practices are increasing representation at every level of this company, improving our product and business results.

 As the calendar turns to 2023, we’ll rebrand Newsy to Scripps News, kicking off an effort to further take on a leadership role in American journalism by using the power of every Scripps news operation and distribution platform. Even beyond our news product, I suspect we’ll identify significant opportunity to work together in new ways across the company, leveraging all our assets to create value for employees and shareholders to advance the Scripps mission.

 We’ll also kick our sports strategy into high gear with Brian Lawlor leading the new Scripps Sports division. Brian will be responsible for the company’s sports strategy, partnerships and rights acquisitions across local and national outlets. He will work with sports leagues, conferences and teams to bring more live sports to Scripps’ platforms.

 I can’t be sure what the media marketplace or the economy will bring us in 2023. But we’ll be ready. As we’ve done time and again, we’ll face every challenge head on and take advantage of every opportunity. Thank you for your ongoing commitment, partnership and hard work.

 From my family to yours, I wish you happy holidays and a happy New Year

Adam Symson (he/him)
President and CEO