The retired Gannett Broadcasting president today was named to the board of newspaper publisher and cable network owner E.W. Scripps Co., effective July 1, when the Cincinnati-based company divides in two.Roger Ogden (left), who retired from Gannett last July, will remain a director of E.W. Scripps after the spinoff of some digital properties into a new entity, Scripps Networks Interactive, with its own board.
The company's flagship paper is the Rocky Mountain News in Denver; it's in a joint operating agreement with scary Gannett business partner MediaNews Group. But Scripps is better known for its Food Network and other powerhouse cable channels that have helped boost Scripps' stock price. The company this year displaced Gannett as the No. 2 newspaper publisher, based on market value. (Fox News channel owner News Corp. is No. 1.)
Starting July 1, the divided Scripps will look like this:
What Scripps may pay Ogden- E.W. Scripps will include papers in 15 U.S. markets; Scripps Howard News Service; 10 broadcast TV stations clustered among the nation's largest 50 markets, including six ABC affiliates, three NBC affiliates and one independent station; and other ventures. Combined annual revenue: about $1.1 billion; employees: about 7,100.
- Scripps Networks will include cable channels Food Network, HGTV and DIY Network, plus their Internet businesses. The new company also will include online comparison shopping services Shopzilla and uSwitch and their sites. Combined annual revenue: about $1.4 billion; employees: about 2,100.
The announcement doesn't say. But directors got annual fees and other compensation ranging from $177,756 to $308,673 (the non-employee chairman), depending on meeting attendance and other factors; that was in 2006, the most recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings show.
At Gannett, the range was lower for non-employee directors -- that is, everyone but Chairman and CEO Craig Dubow. SEC documents show 2007 fees ranged from $18,975 (Neal Shapiro, who joined late in the year) to $262,609 (that was for Louis Boccardi, now retired).
At Gannett, the range was lower for non-employee directors -- that is, everyone but Chairman and CEO Craig Dubow. SEC documents show 2007 fees ranged from $18,975 (Neal Shapiro, who joined late in the year) to $262,609 (that was for Louis Boccardi, now retired).
unrelated to this, but check out ruthholladay.com. ali zoibi is driving an indy 500 pace car replica. not sure how much he pays, if anything, but it sure seems like it would violate something in the ethics guidelines. after all, even big ali can't eat a whole car in half an hour.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah: Ali Zoibi has a 500 Pace car
ReplyDeleteA tipster saw the Indianapolis Star's vice president for everything Ali Zoibi zipping around town in an Indianapolis 500 Pace car last week.
So I called his office this morning to get confirmation or denial. Why? It's interesting to us that Gannett, with all its faux emphasis on ethics and avoiding the appearance of conflict of interest, if not the actual deed, would allow its senior guy to take such a huge favor from the 500 folks.
Here's how it went, after the operator connected me to Ali's suite:
"Good morning, this is Lisa."
"Hi, Lisa. This is Ruth Holladay. I'm calling to see if Ali Zoibi is driving a Pace car this spring."
"Well, why would you ask that, Ruth?"
"Because I heard he was, and I'm curious."
'I just don't know why you'd be asking."
"That must mean he is driving one. I guess that's my answer."
"Just a minute. You can ask him yourself. He's in. I'll connect you."
Long pause.
Lisa, back on the line. "I'm sorry. He doesn't take your calls."
"OK. Thank you."
Click.
So Ali has got himself a cool car. And the (big) wheels keep on turning...what a tool.
(Can anyone comment on the ethics essentials of this issue, according to the Gannett protocol? The rules were always: reporters can't accept gifts. Any food had to be consumed within like 20 minutes, or some silliness. Gannett makes a big stink out of not accepting freebie tickets for its reviewers, etc. -- a policy I think is good. So what is the deal? What is good for the goose, isn't good for the gander? Can Tim Evans get a Pace car? Matt Tully Is there a powder pink model for Babs? What's the deal?)