Man Sues Scripps

Scripps is finding out that expanding your footprint can come with unexpected baggage. Following its acquisition of ABC affiliate WTVQ in Lexington, the company has been hit with a lawsuit by a local property owner over a commercial lease dispute.

According to court filings in the Lexington Herald-Leader, the landowner alleges that WTVQ has been paying a nominal $600 a month for property rent while simultaneously raking in significantly more cash by leasing out space on the property's lucrative cell phone towers to major wireless carriers. They also let the FBI to place a transmitter on the site as well.

The timing adds to a rocky stretch for Scripps. The station group has already been navigating high-profile carriage disputes—including battles with Dish and Charter over retransmission consent, alongside company-wide workforce reductions affecting hundreds employees.

As Scripps works to integrate its latest market additions, this local lease litigation serves as a reminder that the company’s problems continue.