One of the most identifiable cable TV brands in the United States is changing hands.
The E.W. Scripps Company has struck a deal to sell its Court TV network to Law&Crime, the true crime and legal content studio led by Dan Abrams and owned by Jellysmack.
Scripps said Court TV will continue as a standalone channel and brand, becoming Law&Crime’s “hub” for trial content and coverage. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson said the transaction fits the group’s long-running approach of building brands around changing viewer interests and then making portfolio moves to “unlock” value.
Court TV was relaunched by Scripps in May 2019 after it acquired the rights from Turner Broadcasting, and has since returned to prominence on the back of live and gavel-to-gavel coverage of major US trials including Depp v Heard, Derek Chauvin and Alex Murdaugh.
The acquisition adds a US linear network to the Law&Crime business that already spans FAST distribution and social platforms. Scripps said Law&Crime’s footprint includes 2 FAST channels, multiple streaming partners and 25 YouTube channels, led by a flagship channel with more than 7 million subscribers.
