XML 23 R12.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.5.0.2
Acquisitions
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
Acquisitions
Acquisitions

Stitcher

On June 6, 2016, we completed the acquisition of Stitcher for a cash purchase price of $4.5 million. Stitcher is a popular podcast listening service which facilitates discovery and streaming for more than 65,000 podcasts. Stitcher will operate as part of Midroll Media, which will significantly broaden Midroll's consumer base and technological capabilities. Of the $4.5 million purchase price, $2.9 million was allocated to intangible assets, the majority of which was technological software with an estimated amortization period of 3 years. The remainder of the purchase price was allocated to goodwill.

Cracked

On April 12, 2016, we acquired the multi-platform humor and satire brand Cracked, which informs and entertains millennial audiences with a website, original digital video, social media and a popular podcast. The purchase price was $39 million in cash.

Pending the finalization of third-party valuations and other items, the preliminary fair values of the assets acquired were $9 million of intangibles and $30 million of goodwill. Of the $9 million allocated to intangible assets, $7 million was for trade names with an estimated amortization period of 20 years. The remaining balance of $2 million was allocated to content library with an estimated amortization period of 3 years.

The goodwill of $30 million arising from the transaction consists largely of the benefit we will derive from being able to expand our presence and digital brands on the web, in over-the-top video and audio and on other emerging platforms. We allocated the goodwill to our digital segment. We treated the transaction as an asset acquisition for income tax purposes with a step-up in the assets acquired. The goodwill is deductible for income tax purposes.

From the acquisition date of April 12, 2016 through June 30, 2016, revenues from the acquired Cracked operations were $1.2 million.

Midroll Media

On July 22, 2015, we acquired Midroll Media, a company that creates original podcasts and operates a network that generates advertising revenue for more than 200 shows. The purchase price was $50 million in cash, plus a $10 million earnout payable over three years. We estimated the fair value of the earnout to be $7 million.

The following table summarizes the final fair values of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed:
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
Cash
 
$
635

Accounts receivable
 
2,925

Other assets
 
482

Intangible assets
 
10,700

Goodwill
 
45,586

Total assets acquired
 
60,328

Current liabilities
 
3,365

Net purchase price
 
$
56,963



Of the $11 million allocated to intangible assets, $7 million was allocated to advertiser relationships with an estimated amortization period of 5 years and the remaining balance of $4 million was allocated to various other intangible assets.

The goodwill of $46 million arising from the transaction consists largely of the benefit we will derive from being able to enter the podcast market with an established business. We allocated the goodwill to our digital segment. We treated the transaction as an asset acquisition for income tax purposes with a step-up in the assets acquired. The goodwill is deductible for income tax purposes.

Journal Communications Broadcast Group

On April 1, 2015, we acquired the broadcast group owned by Journal Communications, Inc. ("Journal") as part of the transactions described in Note 17. The businesses acquired include 12 television stations and 34 radio stations. We issued 26.4 million Class A Common shares to the Journal shareholders in exchange for their interest in Journal for a purchase price of $636 million. The fair value of the shares issued was determined on the basis of the closing market price of our Class A Common shares shares on April 1, 2015, the acquisition date.

The following table summarizes the final fair values of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed:
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
Cash
 
$
2,529

Accounts receivable
 
47,978

Other current assets
 
2,236

Property, plant and equipment
 
123,264

Intangible assets
 
294,800

Goodwill
 
456,440

Other long-term assets
 
6,350

Assets held for sale
 
14,500

Total assets acquired
 
948,097

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
 
38,107

Employee benefit obligations
 
85,261

Deferred tax liability
 
57,112

Long-term debt
 
126,873

Other long-term liabilities
 
4,744

Net purchase price
 
$
636,000



Of the $295 million allocated to intangible assets, $112 million was for FCC licenses which we determined to have an indefinite life and, therefore, are not amortized. The remaining balance of $183 million was allocated to television network affiliation relationships and advertiser relationships with estimated amortization periods of 10 to 20 years.

The goodwill of $456 million arising from the transaction consists largely of synergies and economies of scale and other benefits of a larger broadcast footprint. The goodwill was allocated to our television ($395 million), radio ($41 million) and digital ($20 million) segments. We treated the transaction as a stock acquisition for income tax purposes resulting in no step-up in the assets acquired. The goodwill is not deductible for income tax purposes.

Concurrent with the acquisition of the Journal television stations, due to FCC conflict ownership rules, Journal was required to dispose of KNIN, the Fox affiliate located in Boise, ID. The station was placed in a divestiture trust for our benefit and was sold to Raycom Media, Inc. on October 1, 2015 for $14.5 million. The sale did not result in a gain or loss.

Pro forma results of operations

Pro forma results of operations, assuming the Journal transaction had taken place at the beginning of 2014, are included in the following table. The pro forma results do not include Midroll, Cracked or Stitcher as the impact of these acquisitions are not material to prior year results of operations. The pro forma information includes the historical results of operations of Scripps and Journal and adjustments for additional depreciation and amortization of the assets acquired, additional interest expense related to the financing of the transaction and reflects the transaction costs incurred in 2015 as if they were incurred in the first quarter of 2014. The weighted average shares utilized in calculating the earnings per share assumes that the shares issued to the Journal shareholders were issued on January 1, 2014. The pro forma information does not include efficiencies, cost reductions or synergies expected to result from the acquisition. The unaudited pro forma financial information is not necessarily indicative of the results that actually would have occurred had the acquisition been completed at the beginning of the period.
 
 
Three Months Ended 
 June 30,
 
Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
(in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited)
 
2015
 
2015
 
 
 
 
 
Operating revenues
 
$
198,134

 
$
383,619

Income from continuing operations attributable to the shareholders of The E.W. Scripps Company
 
9,308

 
6,578

Income per share from operations attributable to the shareholders of The E.W. Scripps Company:
 
 
 
 
          Basic
 
$
0.11

 
$
0.08

          Diluted
 
0.11

 
0.08