Adam Symson, 49, is president and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company. In this role, he has led a transformation of Scripps, which began in 1878 as a newspaper company, into a major diversified media enterprise whose journalism and entertainment brands reach every American household. He engineered the acquisition of ION Media in 2021, spurring the creation of a new Scripps Networks national broadcast television network division. He has overseen the expansion of Scripps’ local television station holdings, and he divested of digital audio assets at a significant return on investment. Symson appointed the company’s first chief diversity officer in 2018 and has been a champion of diversity and inclusion on the company board and in its workforce.
Prior to becoming CEO in August 2017, Symson was Scripps’ chief operating officer, overseeing the company’s broadcast TV, radio and digital media divisions. He also has served as chief digital officer; head of operations, content and revenue for the TV division’s interactive businesses; and director of content and marketing for the Scripps interactive media division (which was spun off into Scripps Networks Interactive in 2008).
Symson joined Scripps as executive producer of investigations and special projects for KNXV, the Scripps-owned ABC affiliate in Phoenix. Earlier in his career, He worked as an investigative journalist for WBBM in Chicago and KCBS, KNBC and KCAL in Los Angeles and as an independent producer for CBS News and NBC News. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications from UCLA.
Symson serves on the boards of directors for Cincinnati’s Holocaust & Humanity Center, the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press and The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati.
A passionate advocate for the important role journalists play in our society, Symson also is an established thought leader in the media industry. He has been recognized by Broadcasting & Cable as Broadcaster of the Year in 2023; The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation as a Giant of Broadcasting in 2022; the National Association of Broadcasters with a Digital Leadership Award in 2016; Borrell’s Award of Merit in 2014; and by Broadcasting & Cable as the Multiplatform Broadcaster of the Year in 2011.
He and his wife, Sherri, have two daughters.
LISTEN: Adam Symson on ever-changing media landscape
Oct. 19, 2021
As a guest on the “Compounders” podcast with host Ben Claremon, Adam discusses the recent merger and acquisition activity in the industry, the dynamic nature of the pay-TV environment, investigative journalism and more.
LISTEN: Adam Symson on ‘Failing Forward’
Sept. 14, 2021
Adam talks with host Sarah Brown about how failures, or fortitude, can lead to success. He discusses navigating layoffs, acquisitions and a pandemic in his role as CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company.
LISTEN: Adam Symson discusses fatherhood, media literacy for next generation
Aug. 3, 2021
Chris Lewis, digital director at Scripps’ WSYM Fox 47 in Lansing, Michigan, and co-founder and host of “Fathering Together” podcast, invited Adam to talk about being the father of two daughters, the importance of media literacy and things that parents can do to help their kids sift through the noise to identify quality news today.
LISTEN: Adam Symson on his journalism career, media literacy and #NextGenTV
July 5, 2021
Adam was a guest on the National Association of Broadcaster’s podcast “Voices From the Field” to discuss his career in journalism, his role as CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company, media literacy and the growth of the #NextGenTV standard.