Filed by The E. W. Scripps Company
Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933
and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12
under the Securities Act of 1934
Subject Company: The E. W. Scripps Company
Commission File No.: 333-200388
Date: January 5, 2015
Bill Siegel joins Scripps as director of news strategy for expanding TV station group
For immediate release
Jan. 5, 2015
Twitter post: Welcome to @EWScrippsCo! @Bill_Siegel announced as director of news strategy. #Scripps
CINCINNATI – The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) is preparing for the addition of Journal Communications’ television stations by adding talent to its TV news operations that will help the company meet the evolving needs of the information consumer.
Bill Siegel will join Scripps as director of news strategy on Jan. 14. Siegel has extensive experience with transforming newsrooms to focus on investigations and digital storytelling.
“I had the privilege of working with Bill at KMOV in St. Louis in 2007 when he was an executive producer,” said Sean McLaughlin, vice president of news for the Scripps TV division. “He possesses a great sense of what drives local news viewing. Most recently as news director at WWL in New Orleans, Bill was able to modernize and motivate a powerhouse station. Under Bill's leadership, WWL has returned to market dominance. He's built a modern day multi-platform newsroom that focuses on quality enterprise journalism.”
Since his arrival as executive news director at WWL in 2011, Siegel has grown viewership in key demographics and built a large social media following.
Prior to WWL, he was the assistant news director at WISN in Milwaukee. In addition to his experiences at KMOV, he worked as producer and executive producer at KENS in San Antonio. He started his career at KESQ in Palm Springs, California.
Siegel is a graduate of the University of Iowa and has a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University.
Scripps expects to close on its merger with Journal Communications in the first half of this year.
Scripps expects to close on its merger with Journal Communications in the first half of this year.
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About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (www.scripps.com) serves audiences and businesses through a growing portfolio of media brands. Last July, Scripps announced a deal with Journal Communications to merge its 21 local television stations with Journal’s 13 television stations and 34 radio stations, which will make Scripps the nation’s fifth-largest broadcasting group. The two companies also agreed to spin off their combined newspaper interests to form a new publicly traded company, to be called Journal Media Group. Scripps 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 Let’s Ask America, 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 1879, Scripps’ motto is “Give light and the people will find their own way.”
The E.W. Scripps Company (www.scripps.com) serves audiences and businesses through a growing portfolio of media brands. Last July, Scripps announced a deal with Journal Communications to merge its 21 local television stations with Journal’s 13 television stations and 34 radio stations, which will make Scripps the nation’s fifth-largest broadcasting group. The two companies also agreed to spin off their combined newspaper interests to form a new publicly traded company, to be called Journal Media Group. Scripps 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 Let’s Ask America, 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 1879, Scripps’ motto is “Give light and the people will find their own way.”
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Contact Carolyn Micheli, The E.W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3732
carolyn.micheli@scripps.com
carolyn.micheli@scripps.com
Additional Information and Where to Find It
The proposed transactions involving Scripps and Journal will be submitted to the holders of Common Voting shares of Scripps and to the holders of Class A and Class B common stock of Journal for their consideration. In connection with the proposed transactions, on November 20, 2014, Scripps filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) that included a preliminary joint proxy statement of Scripps and Journal and that also constitutes a preliminary prospectus of Scripps. This registration statement has not yet been declared effective. Each of Scripps and Journal will mail the joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective shareholders and file other documents regarding the proposed transactions with the SEC. Scripps urges investors and shareholders to read the registration statement and preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other documents filed with the SEC, because they contain important information. Investors and shareholders will be able to obtain the registration statement containing the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents free of charge at the SEC’s web site, http://www.sec.gov, from Scripps Investor Relations, Carolyn Micheli, at arolyn.micheli@scripps.com or 513-977-3732, or from Journal at Jason Graham, Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, at 414-224-2884 or jgraham@jrn.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Scripps and the combined businesses of Journal and Scripps and certain plans and objectives of Scripps with respect thereto, including the expected benefits of the proposed spin and merger transactions. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such as “anticipate”, “target”, “expect”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “goal”, “believe”, “hope”, “aim”, “continue”, “will”, “may”, “would”, “could” or “should” or other words of similar meaning or the negative thereof. There are several factors which could cause actual plans and results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the expected closing date of the proposed transactions; the possibility that the expected synergies and value creation from the proposed transactions will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the proposed transactions making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; the risk that unexpected costs will be incurred; changes in economic conditions, political conditions, licensing requirements and tax matters; and the possibility that the proposed transactions do not close, including, but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and assessments made by Scripps in light of its experience and perception of historical
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trends, current conditions, business strategies, operating environment, future developments and other factors that it believes appropriate. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. The factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this communication could cause actual results, performance or achievements, industry results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although it is believed that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct and persons reading this communication are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as at the date of this communication. Scripps does not assume any obligation to update the information contained in this communication (whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise), except as required by applicable law.
Participants in Solicitation
Scripps, Journal and certain of their respective directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transactions under the rules of the SEC. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transactions will be set forth in the joint proxy statement/prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. You can find information about Scripps’s directors and executive officers in its Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2013 on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 4, 2014 and the definitive proxy statement relating to its 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on March 21, 2014. You can find information about Journal’s directors and executive officers in its Annual Report for the year ended December 29, 2013 on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 10, 2014 and the definitive proxy statement relating to its 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on March 21, 2014. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.
Non-Solicitation
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This communication is not a solicitation of a proxy from any investor or shareholder.
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