Scripps Wins Bidding War for Travel Channel

Worldscreen’s Mansha Daswari reported yesterday that Scripps Networks Interactive has “triumphed in the bidding war for Travel Channel, acquiring a 65-percent stake in a deal that values that lifestyle cable network at $975 million.”  This is probably good news for the Travel Channel brand, since Scripps knows how to build a great brand. They know how to reach the highly-prized 18-35 demographic, too. But this is probably bad news for independent producers and content suppliers, because the Scripps model is to retain copyrights and worldwide distribution rights to all media and all platforms for themselves.  That is to say, if you want to do a work-for-hire for the Travel Channel, call them.  But if you want a co-production partner or someone to acquire something you have already produced, you can go ahead and remove them from your rolodex.