Sinclair Takes Stake in E.W. Scripps to Push Takeover Deal

Sinclair said it built a roughly 8 percent stake in E.W. Scripps and is vying to acquire the local TV broadcaster. The two companies held constructive talks about a potential deal in recent months but have yet to strike an agreement, Sinclair said. Sinclair’s stake was revealed in a regulatory filing. Sinclair bought up the stake to add pressure on Scripps to strike a deal. It said it believes scale—at both the national and local levels—is increasingly necessary in the broadcast TV industry to compete against other media and tech companies. Scripps, with a market value of around $270 million, has over 60 local TV stations spanning more than 40 markets. It has struggled relative to its peers over the long term, though its share price had climbed almost 40 percent so far in 2025, in part as investors cheered progress on its sports strategy. Over the summer, for example, Scripps signed a fresh multiyear media-rights agreement to carry Friday night Women’s National Basketball Association matchups on its Ion network.