CINCINNATI, Feb. 28,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The E.W. Scripps Company has
appointed award-winning news executive Kate
O'Brian to the new role of president of News, responsible
for all news operations across Scripps' local media stations,
Scripps News and Court TV.
This move allows Scripps' local and national news operations to
align more closely in editorial strategy – each dedicated to
serving American audiences the news and information they need to
make informed decisions about their lives.
"Kate O'Brian is a skilled
executive and journalist who embodies our responsibility to serve
American audiences nationally and locally. This new structure puts
oversight for the entire company's news and editorial strategy
under her leadership," said Adam
Symson, president and CEO of Scripps. "Scripps will maintain
locally run, locally focused newsrooms serving each of our local
markets, and at the same time we will coordinate our local and
national reporting for the benefit of all our audiences, including
for Scripps News' network."
O'Brian joined Scripps in 2021 to lead Newsy and Court TV and
serve as the architect for Scripps News, merging the company's
local and national news resources into a national news division.
Last fall, the network earned its first Emmy award, for "Plastic
Time Bomb."
"Over the past few years, Scripps' local and national news
operations have demonstrated the powerful impact of combining deep
community expertise with national context and reach," O'Brian said.
"This structure will allow our local news and Scripps News teams to
harness their combined strengths to deliver even more high-impact
political reporting, severe weather, breaking news coverage and
other stories important to our audiences in any market."
Scripps leaders reporting to O'Brian:
- Christina Hartman, vice
president, head of Scripps News, will lead the network that reaches
95% of Americans with fact-based, in-depth reporting and
programming on multiple platforms. Hartman has been serving as head
of news standards for Scripps News and Court TV. Previously, she
was vice president of Newsy.
- Ethan Nelson, vice
president, head of Court TV, will continue to lead the
network as it brings gavel-to-gavel coverage and in-depth legal
reporting and expertise to the nation's most compelling and
important trials.
- The vice president, head of Local News, a new, open role that
will oversee Scripps' local news content strategy alongside
O'Brian. This person will work closely with Dean Littleton, senior vice president of local
media, to execute the content strategy along with the news
initiative for our local news teams.
O'Brian's career in news and journalism spans nearly four
decades. Prior to joining Scripps, she was a longtime ABC news
executive who, among many other roles, served as head of affiliate
news services and worked closely with 200 local stations. O'Brian
also was the first woman to run a 24/7 cable news organization when
she was appointed president at Al Jazeera America.
Media contact: Molly
Miossi, The E.W. Scripps Company,
513-977-3713, molly.miossi@scripps.com
About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is a diversified media
company focused on creating a better-informed world. As one of the
nation's largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities
with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio
of more than 60 stations in 40+ markets. Scripps reaches households
across the U.S. with national news outlets Scripps News and Court
TV and popular entertainment brands ION, Bounce, Defy TV, Grit, ION
Mystery and Laff. Scripps is the nation's largest holder of
broadcast spectrum. Scripps is the longtime steward of the Scripps
National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps' long-time motto
is: "Give light and the people will find their own way."
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SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company