Scripps, Edward Willis

Scripps, Edward Willis

(born June 18, 1854, near Rushville, Ill., U.S.—died March 12, 1926, at sea off Monrovia, Liberia) U.S. newspaper publisher. He was first employed by his half brother, James Edmund Scripps (1835–1906), on newspapers in Detroit. He began publishing his own papers in 1878 and eventually owned 34 in 15 states. He was a partner in forming the first major U.S. newspaper chain, the Scripps-McRae League of Newspapers (1894). In 1907 he consolidated regional Scripps news services as United Press (after 1958, United Press International). In 1922 he transferred his interests to his son, Robert Paine Scripps (1895–1938), who with Roy W. Howard formed the Scripps-Howard chain. The E.W. Scripps Co. now operates the latter chain and includes varied media holdings in addition to newspapers.