Boasting About Performance Does Not Help Scripps’ Cause

I’ve said this before (in one of my long epic posts), but let me say it here, loud and clear. Scripps, boasting about your performance and growth (as you do in your latest post) does not help your cause. It increases the perception of your greed.

Elsewhere on the ILoveFoodNetwork blog, Scripps was quick to dispel the notion that they’re experiencing any sort of financial turmoil:

“Scripps is not experiencing financial difficulties. Scripps Networks is an extremely well-run company with our networks performing well despite the challenging economy.” (source)

Scripps has a serious empathy problem. I don’t know a single person who isn’t having financial hardships. I also know of very few companies who are performing well despite the recession. Especially media companies. So my reaction (and I imagine the reaction of many people) to Scripps boasting about their performance and how much their financially thriving is that this is NOT the time to be asking for more money and screwing over viewers by pulling their channels.

Let’s put honesty aside for a second. And why shouldn’t we? Scripps has already shown that honest isn’t on its priority list with the way they said the channels were “dropped.” (Remember, they were in fact, pulled by Scripps themselves.) From a PR standpoint (and since Scripps is so interested in having us fight their battles for them), they ought to be talking about how a slight increase will enable them to continue to produce and develop the programming we have come to love. Sure, Cablevision is being dishonest about how Scripps wants them to bail them out of their financial difficulties. But I submit that many people know Cablevision is not your source of honest information. Let THEM deliver the low-blows, Scripps. Meanwhile, play the Everyman of cable companies: Hey, you’re doing your best, but times are tough, all you’re looking for is a little fairness.

Again, I don’t advocate this on a pure level. Only the level of Scripps has obviously demonstrated that it really values spin over facts (it’s a for-profit company, so we shouldn’t be surprised).

I repeat my thesis: Scripps has played this wrong almost every step of the way. The fact is, they probably DO deserve a raise. (Again, Alton Brown alone is worth it in my opinion, though my wife is partial to Giada.) But they’ve squandered that by gambling, and sputtering, and spinning things the wrong way.

Tags: cablevision, food network, hgtv, scripps