E. W. Scripps
Encyclopedia
Edward Willis Scripps was an American
newspaper
publisher and founder of The E. W. Scripps Company
, a diversified media conglomerate, and United Press news service. It became United Press International
(UPI) when International News Service merged with United Press in 1958. The E. W. Scripps School of Journalism
at Ohio University
is named for him.
, to James Mogg Scripps from London, and Julia Adeline Osborne (third wife) (1855 - 1937) from New York
. E. W. was the youngest of five children born to James and Julia. James had seven children from previous marriages.
E. W., as with many businessmen of his day, went by his initials rather than writing out his first and middle name. His middle name is often incorrectly written as Wyllis.
worked with his older half-brother, James
when he founded The Detroit News
in 1873. E. W. started as an office boy at the paper. In 1878, with loans from his half-brothers, E. W. went on to found The Penny Press (later the Cleveland Press
) in Cleveland
. With financial support from sister Ellen, he went on to begin or acquire some 25 newspapers. This was the beginning of a media empire that is now the E. W. Scripps Company
.
E. W. would lend money to promising young, local newspaper publishers, and buy the successful one, having 51% share of the paper. Once bought, he did not "sell out," but held on to the paper. A guiding tenet of E. W. was that local editors know best about running local newspapers. Editors were carefully groomed and given considerable autonomy. Among the innovations E. W. made were distributing newspapers to the suburbs and, with his brother James, of getting the bulk of income from advertisers instead of subscribers.
In 1907, Scripps created United Press Associations, later the UPI news service, from smaller regional news services. Scripps later said
"I regard my life's greatest service to the people of this country to be the creation of the United Press", to provide competition to the Associated Press
.
Scripps held a relatively unconventional view of the press, stating,
, where his half-sister lived nearby, thinking that the dry, warm climate would help his allergic rhinitis that he had all his life. He built it as a winter home to escape the cold of Illinois, but eventually lived there year round, and conducted his newspaper business from the ranch. His ranch encompassed what is today the community of Scripps Ranch
as well as Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
.
In 1903, he and his half-sister Ellen were the founding donors of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
. Initially Scripps was reluctant to support the venture, thinking scientists could not be businesslike. However, he developed a deep friendship with the scientific director, William Emerson Ritter
, and together they began to plan projects for the Institute. As the Institute started to succeed, he became an enthusiastic supporter, and took a great interest in its work.
In 1921, Scripps founded Science Service, later renamed Society for Science & the Public
, with the goal of keeping the public informed of scientific achievements. The organization continues to run as a non-profit dedicated to the promotion of science.
Scripps became somewhat of a hermit, calling himself a "damned old crank." He enjoyed sailing the seven seas on a yacht, smoking 50 cigars a day.
Scripps died at the age of 71 on March 12, 1926. Among his descendants was Samuel H. Scripps
(1927 – 2007), grandson, who became a leading philanthropist for theater in dance in America in the late 20th century.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
publisher and founder of The E. W. Scripps Company
E. W. Scripps Company
The E. W. Scripps Company is an American media conglomerate founded by Edward W. Scripps on November 2, 1878. The company is headquartered inside the Scripps Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its corporate motto is "Give light and the people will find their own way."On October 16, 2007, the company...
, a diversified media conglomerate, and United Press news service. It became United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
(UPI) when International News Service merged with United Press in 1958. The E. W. Scripps School of Journalism
E. W. Scripps School of Journalism
The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, widely considered one of the best journalism schools in the country, is part of the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University....
at Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
is named for him.
Early life
E. W. Scripps was born and raised in Rushville, IllinoisRushville, Illinois
Rushville is a city in Schuyler County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,212 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Schuyler County.-Demographics:...
, to James Mogg Scripps from London, and Julia Adeline Osborne (third wife) (1855 - 1937) from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. E. W. was the youngest of five children born to James and Julia. James had seven children from previous marriages.
E. W., as with many businessmen of his day, went by his initials rather than writing out his first and middle name. His middle name is often incorrectly written as Wyllis.
Newspaper career
Both E. W. and his half-sister EllenEllen Browning Scripps
Ellen Browning Scripps was an American philanthropist who was the founding donor of several major institutions in Southern California.-Biography:...
worked with his older half-brother, James
James E. Scripps
James Edmund Scripps was an American newspaper publisher and philanthropist.Scripps was born in 1835 in London to James Mogg Scripps and Ellen Mary Scripps. His father was a bookbinder who came to America in 1844 with six motherless children. Scripps grew up on a Rushville, Illinois, farm...
when he founded The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
in 1873. E. W. started as an office boy at the paper. In 1878, with loans from his half-brothers, E. W. went on to found The Penny Press (later the Cleveland Press
Cleveland Press
The Cleveland Press was a daily American newspaper published in Cleveland, Ohio from November 2, 1878, through June 17, 1982. From 1928 to 1966, the paper's editor was Louis Seltzer....
) in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. With financial support from sister Ellen, he went on to begin or acquire some 25 newspapers. This was the beginning of a media empire that is now the E. W. Scripps Company
E. W. Scripps Company
The E. W. Scripps Company is an American media conglomerate founded by Edward W. Scripps on November 2, 1878. The company is headquartered inside the Scripps Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its corporate motto is "Give light and the people will find their own way."On October 16, 2007, the company...
.
E. W. would lend money to promising young, local newspaper publishers, and buy the successful one, having 51% share of the paper. Once bought, he did not "sell out," but held on to the paper. A guiding tenet of E. W. was that local editors know best about running local newspapers. Editors were carefully groomed and given considerable autonomy. Among the innovations E. W. made were distributing newspapers to the suburbs and, with his brother James, of getting the bulk of income from advertisers instead of subscribers.
In 1907, Scripps created United Press Associations, later the UPI news service, from smaller regional news services. Scripps later said
"I regard my life's greatest service to the people of this country to be the creation of the United Press", to provide competition to the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
.
Scripps held a relatively unconventional view of the press, stating,
Later life
In 1898, he finished building a home in San DiegoSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, where his half-sister lived nearby, thinking that the dry, warm climate would help his allergic rhinitis that he had all his life. He built it as a winter home to escape the cold of Illinois, but eventually lived there year round, and conducted his newspaper business from the ranch. His ranch encompassed what is today the community of Scripps Ranch
Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California
Scripps Ranch is a community of San Diego, California in the northeastern part of that city. Its ZIP code is 92131. It is located east of Interstate 15, North of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and South of Poway....
as well as Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
.
In 1903, he and his half-sister Ellen were the founding donors of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, is one of the oldest and largest centers for ocean and earth science research, graduate training, and public service in the world...
. Initially Scripps was reluctant to support the venture, thinking scientists could not be businesslike. However, he developed a deep friendship with the scientific director, William Emerson Ritter
William Emerson Ritter
William Emerson Ritter, Ph.D. was an American biologist. Ritter initiated and shaped the Marine Biological Association of San Diego and the American Society for the Dissemination of Science...
, and together they began to plan projects for the Institute. As the Institute started to succeed, he became an enthusiastic supporter, and took a great interest in its work.
In 1921, Scripps founded Science Service, later renamed Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public , formerly known as Science Service, is a 5013 non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of science, through its science education programs and publications, including the weekly Science News magazine.Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the organization...
, with the goal of keeping the public informed of scientific achievements. The organization continues to run as a non-profit dedicated to the promotion of science.
Scripps became somewhat of a hermit, calling himself a "damned old crank." He enjoyed sailing the seven seas on a yacht, smoking 50 cigars a day.
Scripps died at the age of 71 on March 12, 1926. Among his descendants was Samuel H. Scripps
Samuel H. Scripps
Samuel H. Scripps was a patron of the arts, and played a significant role in gaining support and recognition for theatre and dance companies throughout America in the second half of the twentieth century....
(1927 – 2007), grandson, who became a leading philanthropist for theater in dance in America in the late 20th century.
See also
- Samuel H. ScrippsSamuel H. ScrippsSamuel H. Scripps was a patron of the arts, and played a significant role in gaining support and recognition for theatre and dance companies throughout America in the second half of the twentieth century....
– E. W. Scripps' grandson, a philanthropist in theater and dance
Further reading
- E. W. Scripps (Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1933) by Negley D. Cochran
- E. W. Scripps and the Business of Newspapers (1999) by Gerald J. Baldasty. ISBN 0-252-06750-9.
- Science Service as one Expression of E. W. Scripps's Philosophy of Life. (Washington, D.C.: Science Service, 1926) by William E. Ritter
- "Newspaper Man", Time, March 22, 1926
- Molly McClain, "The Scripps Family's San Diego Experiment," The Journal of San Diego History 56, nos. 1-2 (2010).
External links
- E. W. Scripps Papers, Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries, Athens, Ohio. Manuscript collection, primarily correspondence.
- "How Scripps Institution Came To San Diego", The Journal of San Diego History 27:3 (Summer 1981) by Elizabeth N. Shor
- "Our Pioneers" The E. W. Scripps Company