Scripps TV stations again offer free airtime to political candidates

The Associated Press
2/26/02 6:07 PM

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The E.W. Scripps Co. said Tuesday that its television stations will offer free airtime to political candidates prior to primary and general elections this year.

The Scripps stations had a similar policy during the national elections in 2000. Making free airtime available to candidates was recommended in 2000 by a presidential advisory committee on public interest obligations of digital television broadcasters.

Scripps said that under its "Democracy 2002" initiative, its nine network-affiliated TV stations will provide five minutes of free airtime to candidates nightly between 5 p.m. and 11:35 p.m. in the 30 days preceding this year's general elections. The stations also will provide free airtime as needed during the 30 days preceding primary elections.

"This effort by the Scripps broadcast television station group will concentrate on bringing individual citizens and groups of citizens into an active dialogue with candidates," said John Lansing, senior vice president of broadcasting for Scripps.

Scripps said its stations collectively reach about 10 percent of the nation's television households. Its ABC-affiliated stations are WXYZ, Detroit; WCPO, Cincinnati; WEWS, Cleveland; WFTS, Tampa, Fla., WMAR, Baltimore, and KNXV, Phoenix. Its NBC-affiliated stations are WPTV, West Palm Beach, Fla.; KSHB, Kansas City, Mo., and KJRH, Tulsa, Okla.

In addition to its television stations, Scripps operates 21 daily newspapers and three cable TV channels, Home & Garden Television, Food Network and Do It Yourself Network. Scripps plans to start up a fourth cable channel, Fine Living, in March.

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