Scripps Networks
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | February 3, 2014 |
| Founder | Jonathan Katz |
| Headquarters | Atlanta , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Jonathan Katz (CEO), Jeffrey Wolf (Chief Distribution Officer), Jim Weiss (SVP Corporate Communications) |
| Products | Broadcast television networks, FAST streaming channels, streaming platforms |
| Parent | E. W. Scripps Company |
Scripps Networks, LLC, previously known as Katz Broadcasting, is a U.S.-based digital multicasting media company operating as a division of the E. W. Scripps Company. As of 2024, the company manages eight broadcast television networks, nine FAST streaming channels, and a dedicated streaming platform, each designed to serve distinct audience segments.
Originally, Katz distributed its networks to partner TV stations through advertising revenue sharing, but by October 2015, it transitioned to a model involving carriage fees in exchange for advertising inventory, driven by expanded subchannel capacity. The networks shifted their performance measurement from direct response advertising metrics to Nielsen C-3 ratings.
History
Established on February 3, 2014, by Jonathan Katz—who previously served as COO of Bounce TV and held executive roles at Turner Broadcasting—Katz debuted its initial two networks, Ion Mystery/Escape and Grit TV, in April 2014 with Univision-owned stations as founding affiliates. Early financial backers included Gray Television and Al Haymon; subsequently, E. W. Scripps acquired a 5% ownership stake.
Katz shared leadership personnel with Bounce TV, including CEO Jonathan Katz and Chief Distribution Officer Jeffrey Wolf. In August 2014, Jim Weiss joined the company as senior vice president of corporate communications.
On January 18, 2015, Katz unveiled Laff, a multicast network centered on comedy programming that launched in April with ABC Owned Television Stations and Scripps serving as principal affiliates. A multi-network affiliation agreement reached in March 2015 with Meredith Corporation expanded distribution: Laff covered 50% of U.S. markets, Escape/Ion Mystery reached 58%, and Grit extended to 78%. By late 2015, Escape and Grit began utilizing Nielsen C-3 ratings for audience measurement.
A June 2016 pact with Nexstar Media Group brought Katz’s three networks along with Bounce TV to Nexstar-owned stations across 54 markets, increasing Escape and Laff’s reach to 85% and Grit’s coverage to 93%.
On August 1, 2017, E.W. Scripps announced its acquisition of Katz and its portfolio of networks for $292 million, completing the transaction on October 2. Katz continues to operate independently from its Atlanta headquarters.
In December 2018, Katz secured rights to the Court TV brand and programming library from Turner Broadcasting and reintroduced it as an over-the-air network in May 2019. Subsequently, Escape was renamed Court TV Mystery in September 2019.
Following Scripps’ acquisition of Ion Media in 2021, Katz’s networks were relocated to Ion-owned station subchannels beginning in February.
On March 2, 2021, Scripps revealed plans for two new multicast networks—Defy TV and TrueReal—aimed at viewers who have cut traditional pay-TV services. Both launched on July 1 with approximately 92% coverage nationwide, primarily via Ion transmitters and select Scripps stations.
In April 2021, Scripps expanded Newsy into a free over-the-air channel accessible on Ion stations and other outlets starting October 1; Newsy discontinued its cable and satellite distribution on June 30.
On February 24, 2022, Court TV Mystery was rebranded as Ion Mystery to better reflect Ion’s focus on procedural dramas.
TrueReal ceased broadcasting on March 27, 2023; its content was merged into Defy TV. The spectrum freed by TrueReal’s closure was leased by Scripps to Jewelry Television.
In June 2024, Defy TV was phased out with its programming moving to Dare—a network launched on July 1 by Free TV Networks after acquiring Defy’s brand—and Ion Plus resumed over-the-air broadcasts on Defy’s former channels.
Television channels
- Bounce Media, LLC
- Bounce TV – broadcast channel dedicated to programming centered on Black audiences
- Bounce XL – streaming platform counterpart
- Brown Sugar – OTT streaming service showcasing 1970s Black films and television series
- Court TV Media, LLC
- Court TV – broadcast channel specializing in legal news and live courtroom coverage
- Court TV Legendary Trials – streaming platform offering archived trial footage and true crime programming
- Grit Media, LLC
- Grit – broadcast channel primarily featuring Western films and related series
- GritXtra – streaming platform counterpart
- Laff Media, LLC
- Scripps News (Scripps Media, LLC; formerly known as Newsy) – streaming and general news channel providing national news support for Scripps stations
- Ion Media, LLC
- Ion Television – general entertainment broadcast channel
- Ion Mystery (Escape Media, LLC; previously Escape/Court TV Mystery) – broadcast channel centered on procedural crime dramas and true crime content
- Ion Plus – combined broadcast and streaming service related to Ion Television; the broadcast portion ceased operation in 2021 following the Scripps acquisition and was relaunched on July 1, 2024
Ion Media
- Qubo – digital broadcast channel with children's content; discontinued February 28, 2021 after Scripps acquisition
- Ion Shop – digital broadcast channel offering paid programming; discontinued February 28, 2021 following acquisition
Scripps Networks
- TrueReal – digital over-the-air network featuring reality shows aimed at women from A&E Networks; ceased operations March 27, 2023
- Defy TV (Defy TV Media, LLC) – over-the-air broadcast/subchannel presenting reality programming from A&E Networks; shut down July 1, 2024 with content transferred to Free TV Networks' Defy
- Scripps News – digital over-the-air all-news network (formerly Newsy, 2008–2022); announced shutdown of O.T.A. subchannel on November 15, 2024 with transition to online streaming and major workforce reductions