Television station group owner EW Scripps will shut down its 24-hour news channel on Nov. 15, another sign of the shrinking TV news industry.
EW Scripps Chief Executive Officer Adam Symson notified staff on Friday of the closure of the channel known as Scripps News. More than 200 jobs will be cut, according to his memo.
Scripps News provided a 24-hour feed of live coverage and documentary programming to broadcast television stations and ad-supported streaming services such as Tubi and Pluto. The free channel was also streamed on the company’s digital platforms. The service was founded as Newsy in 2015 and was a cable channel before evolving into a full-time service for TV and streaming platforms in 2021.
Simson said the Atlanta-based Scripps News Channel’s audience is growing. The channel aired the Sept. 10 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump, which drew 1 million viewers, according to two people familiar with the data.
But Simson said the company was unable to secure deals from major advertisers because of the current divisive political environment in the United States.
“Many brands and agencies believe that even though news outlets like Scripps receive praise and credentialing for their objectivity, given the polarized nature of this country, advertising centered around national news is “We decided the risk was too great,” Simson said. “While I vehemently disagree, this is harming not only Scripps News, but every other national linear and digital news organization.”
The closure is the latest example of how the TV news industry is struggling in the face of an exodus of viewers from traditional TV viewing. Earlier this week, CBS News announced the firing of weekend morning anchor Jeff Groh and several high-profile correspondents. CNN, NBC and ABC’s news departments are all expected to make significant layoffs and pay cuts after the November presidential election.
Simson said Scripps’ digital platforms will continue to provide live news coverage from the field and will have a reporting team in Washington to serve the company’s television stations.
Scripps News won an Emmy this week and has won numerous other journalism awards over its two years on the air.
The operation also partnered with other news organizations on important stories, including ProPublica, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times.