E.W. Scripps revenue falls 9.2% to $490.4M in Q2 as Nielsen shift hits ad sales
Nielsen's abrupt shift in television audience measurement methodology drove roughly half the revenue pressure inside E.W. Scripps' Networks segment in the second quarter of 2026, CEO Adam Symson said. Total revenue fell 9.2% year on year to $490.4 million, missing Wall Street's expectations, and the company posted a GAAP loss of $12.68 per share, well below analyst consensus. Ongoing declines in linear TV viewing and temporary blackouts with major pay TV providers added further pressure on advertising and distribution revenue. Symson said the quarter did not meet his expectations.
Campaigns planned against Scripps' local stations and networks face audience numbers that are shifting under Nielsen's new methodology, complicating comparisons to prior periods and to broadcasters still on the old system. Symson said, "None of the upside of a fix is baked into our guide," signaling that Scripps expects further changes to audience data as Nielsen's measurement update rolls out, alongside a recovery in sports advertising, resolved carriage disputes and rising political ad spend tied to the election cycle. Buyers negotiating TV deals through the rest of 2026 should expect audience figures tied to Scripps inventory to keep moving as the transition plays out, while cost cuts from the company's transformation plan reshape which markets and dayparts get the most local news investment.