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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 OR ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from Commission File Number 001-10701 THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) Ohio ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) 312 Walnut Street Cincinnati , Ohio 45202 ( Address of principal executive offices ) ( Zip Code ) Registrant's telephone number , including area code : ( 513 ) 977-3000 to Title of each class Class A Common Stock , par value $ 0.01 per share Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Trading Symbol ( s ) Accelerated filer SSP Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : None ☐ 31-1223339 ( IRS Employer Identification Number ) Name of each exchange on which registered NASDAQ Global Select Market Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes No ✔ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes ✔ No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T ( § 232.405 of this chapter ) during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See definition of " large accelerated filer " , “ accelerated filer ” , “ smaller reporting company " , and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . Large accelerated filer Non - accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . Yes No The aggregate market value of Class A Common shares of the registrant held by non - affiliates of the registrant , based on the $ 8.75 per share closing price for such stock on June 30 , 2020 , was approximately $ 488,000,000 . All Class A Common shares beneficially held by executives and directors of the registrant and descendants of Edward W. Scripps have been deemed , solely for the purpose of the foregoing calculation , to be held by affiliates of the registrant . There is no active market for our Common Voting shares . As of January 31 , 2021 , there were 69,815,084 of the registrant's Class A Common shares , $ .01 par value per share , outstanding and 11,932,722 of the registrant's Common Voting shares , $ .01 par value per share , outstanding . DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Certain information required for Part III of this report is incorporated herein by reference to the proxy statement for the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders .