Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment

We compute depreciation using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives as follows:

Buildings and improvements	35 to 45 years
Leasehold improvements	Shorter of term of lease or useful life
Printing presses	20 to 30 years
Other newspaper production equipment	5 to 15 years
Television transmission towers and related equipment	15 to 35 years
Other television and program production equipment	3 to 15 years
Computer hardware and software	3 to 5 years
Office and other equipment	3 to 10 years

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following:

	As of December 31,
(in thousands)	2013		2012
Land and improvements	$	73,980	$	74,797
Buildings and improvements	231,219		223,761
Equipment	472,407		494,024
Computer software	36,155		33,635
Total	813,761		826,217
Accumulated depreciation	459,964		451,286
Net property, plant and equipment	$	353,797	$	374,931

Components of basic and diluted weighted-average shares

The following table presents information about basic and diluted weighted-average shares outstanding:

	For the years ended December 31,
(in thousands)	2013			2012			2011
Numerator (for basic and diluted earnings per share)
Net (loss) income attributable to the shareholders of The E.W. Scripps Company	$	(474	)	$	40,188		$	(15,537	)
Less income allocated to RSUs	—			(1,845		)	—
Numerator for basic and diluted earnings per share	$	(474	)	$	38,343		$	(15,537	)
Denominator
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	56,516			54,907			57,217
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock options held by employees and directors	—			474			—
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding	56,516			55,381			57,217
Anti-dilutive securities(1)	4,957			176			14,077

⁽¹⁾  Amount outstanding at Balance Sheet date, before application of the treasury stock method and not weighted for period outstanding.