In Knoxville, Scripps employees “live the brand”

Ken Lowe addressing a sold out Leadership Knoxville crowd at Scripps Network's west Knox headquarters.

Ken Lowe, Scripps Networks chairman, president and CEO, addressing a sold out Leadership Knoxville crowd at Scripps Networks' west Knox headquarters.

In the early ’90s, Ken Lowe, a hot-shot young radio and TV executive with the E.W. Scripps Company, looked around the television landscape and did not like what he saw.

“I became disenchanted with TV programming,” Lowe told a group of Knoxville leaders gathered recently at the Knoxville headquarters of Scripps Networks Interactive. “With shows like Morton Downey Jr. (who piloted the so-called trash TV movement), it seemed as if television programs were seeking the lowest common denominator. It was a race to the bottom.”

At the same time, Lowe saw an opportunity. “In the early ’90s, I had an idea for a cable network. I thought the Baby Boomers — including people my age — would be buying their first house and would be interested in a channel about ‘home.'”

So Lowe took his idea to his bosses at Scripps. “There was a board meeting in 1994,” he laughed. “At that meeting they said, ‘Here’s $25 million. Go launch HGTV.'”

Lowe didn’t waste any time. In April of that year, acting on that board directive, Lowe guided Scripps in its acquisition of Knoxville’s Cinetel Productions from Ross Bagwell. “If not for Ross Bagwell, Scripps wouldn’t be in Knoxville,” Lowe said.

After that acquisition, Lowe began to recruit employees. It was a hard sell at first, he said. “People thought Knoxville was like Mount Airy where Andy Griffith is set. Like Mayberry — but not that sophisticated!”

But Lowe persisted. “I knew this would be a great environment,” he said. “When we asked employees to move here from New York and Los Angeles, they thought, ‘What’s the deal? What drugs are these people on?’ But every individual I recruited in 1994 has stayed in Knoxville. Some have retired. But none have ever moved away.”

Ken Lowe, left, with Anthony Melchiorri, the star of "Hotel Impossible" on Travel Channel.

Ken Lowe, left, with Anthony Melchiorri, the star of "Hotel Impossible" on Travel Channel.

In December of 1994, HGTV went on the air — with staff members who had agreed to move to Knoxville. “Employees liked it,” Lowe said. “People could move here, buy a home and have a yard and garden. They could literally live the brand. It’s meant a lot.”

And Knoxville embraced the fledgling network, much as it had embraced another maverick media company, Whittle Communications, years earlier. Lowe said the News Sentinel, another Scripps property, provided great marketing support for its sister venture. (Scripps Networks Interactive has since been separated from the company’s newspaper operations.)

The new cable television enterprise flourished, even though the Wall Street Journal called it a “network about grass growing and paint drying.”

“We’ve come a long way from Carol Duvall’s craft show and Jane Nugent’s Garden Party. She actually talked to worms!” Lowe said. “And we had a show about Oriental rugs. That’s about as boring as you can get.”

But he said Scripps stayed focused on its original programming mission. “Our goal was to have no violence, no sexual innuendo. We wanted shows you could watch with young kids,” he said. “People made fun of us, but it’s been the hallmark of our success.” As Scripps Networks turns 20 next year, it boasts having “the number one and number two networks in serving upscale women,” he said. (That’s HGTV and Food Network, respectively.)

This has been accomplished by a series of shrewd acquisitions. In 1997, Scripps bought Food Network. “It was a steal,” Lowe said. “We traded a TV station in Texas and they gave us $75 million and the Food Network!” Today, he said, Food Network is worth $4 to $5 billion. And Scripps kept growing the networks. With acquisition of Travel Channel, Scripps Networks Interactive today is worth $10 billion, Lowe said. Altogether, Scripps now owns six cable networks: HGTV, Food Network, Cooking Channel, DIY Network, Travel Channel and Great American Country.

It employs 2,200 people worldwide. About 1,000 of them are in Knoxville. The second largest group is in New York City. Other offices are in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, Atlanta, Detroit, Nashville, Cincinnati and London, England.

Entrance to new Food Network Kitchen at Scripps Networks Interactive's Knoxville headquarters.

Entrance to new Food Network Kitchen at Scripps Networks Interactive's Knoxville headquarters.

The event at which Lowe spoke was part of Leadership Knoxville‘s “Behind the Scenes” series. Late last year, as part of that series, Kreis Beall, the founder of Blackberry Farm, spoke about East Tennessee’s swankiest food and lodging destination. (Click here for a story on that.) In March, Jim Clayton will take 100 people on a tour of a Clayton Homes manufacturing plant and reveal some of the “secrets of Clayton Sales School.” A few tickets still are available for that. (Click here.)

As part of the “Behind the Scenes” event, Lowe showed off the new Food Network Kitchen recently opened in the company’s west Knoxville headquarters. It features recipes that have been tested in the Food Network Kitchen in New York City, where chefs develop, test, shop for and prepare the dishes on the Food Network and Cooking Channel. At the end of last year, Scripps opened the first Food Network Kitchen in an airport — in Fort Lauderdale. By the end of this year, plans are to open one in the Atlanta airport (Yay!). The Food Network Kitchen restaurants are concentrating on locally produced ingredients, Lowe said.

A few other of Lowe’s remarks:

  • “You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Paula Deen on the air in Singapore. There might be voice overs, but ‘butta is still butta!'”
  • What’s next? “Mobile and digital,” he said. “The iPad explosion is an opportunity for us.”
  • The cost of success. “I’ve made rock stars out of chefs and now it’s hard for me to get a table in their restaurants!”
  • Lowe said folks elsewhere don’t realize it, but Knoxville is a “powerhouse center” for television and television production.

It was a delicious, informative and fun night. What more could anyone ask?

Scripps Networks Interactive's headquarters is located on Sherrill Boulevard in west Knoxville.

Scripps Networks Interactive's headquarters is located on Sherrill Boulevard in west Knoxville.

Jeff and Christy Lee. Jeff, general manager of WBIR-TV, showed what a good sport he is. His station is owned by Gannett, a Scripps competitor.

Jeff and Christy Lee. Jeff, general manager of WBIR-TV, showed what a good sport he is. His station is owned by Gannett, a Scripps competitor.

Jerry Kruse, owner of the bartending service The Pour Guys, was serving entwine, the wine that is a partnership of Food Network and Wente Vineyards.

Jerry Kruse, owner of the bartending service The Pour Guys, was serving entwine, the wine that is a partnership of Food Network and Wente Vineyards.

Server Brian Yearicks of Food Network Kitchen was passing yummy gougeres.

Server Brian Yearicks of Food Network Kitchen was passing yummy gougeres.

Here's a closer look at them.

Here's a closer look at them.

Annett Brun, left, and Janet Testerman, both of Scripps Networks, pose with Anthony Melchiorri of "Hotel Impossible," one of the most popular shows on Travel Channel.

Annette Brun, left, and Janet Testerman, both of Scripps Networks, pose with Anthony Melchiorri of "Hotel Impossible," one of the most popular shows on Travel Channel.

Meanwhile, in the Food Network Kitchen, Sandy Martin, left, and Kelle Shultz were sampling the pizzas.

Meanwhile, in the Food Network Kitchen, Sandy Martin, left, and Kelle Shultz were sampling the gourmet pizzas.

Don't they look great? This one features salmon. Never seen that before.

Don't they look great? This one features salmon. Never seen that before.

Shrimp and bacon sliders!

Shrimp and bacon sliders!

Gorgonzola and pear polenta rounds

Gorgonzola and pear polenta rounds

Don Parnell sampling bahn mi bites

Don Parnell sampling bahn mi bites

From left, Robin Galic, Marisa Moazen, Mary Ellen Brewington, Craig Shelton and Janet Testerman Crossley

From left, Robin Galic, Marisa Moazen, Mary Ellen Brewington, Craig Shelton and Janet Testerman Crossley

I loved the centerpieces.

I loved the centerpieces.

Kenneth Moore of the FBI, left, and Realtor Jim Nichols

Kenneth Moore of the FBI, left, and Realtor Jim Nichols

Ken Lowe, left, with Alan Carmichael

Ken Lowe, left, with Alan Carmichael

Alan and Jennie Campbell Hitchcock

Alan and Jennie Campbell Hitchcock

John Craig and Mary Bogert

Developer John Craig and Mary Bogert, general manager of the Knoxville Convention Center

Lawyer Melinda Meador and News Sentinel Publisher Patrick Birmingham

Lawyer Melinda Meador and News Sentinel Publisher Patrick Birmingham

Sheena Patrick of Merrill Lynch with Melinda's husband, Milton McNally

Sheena McCall of Merrill Lynch with Melinda's husband, Milton McNally

Ann and Jerry Bodie

Ann and Jerry Bodie

Tom Scott, Suzanne Jack and Rachel Ford, right, the executive director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

Tom Scott, Suzanne Jack and Rachel Ford, right, the executive director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

From left, Anthony Melchiorri, Sharon Miller Pryse, Tammy White and Ken Lowe. Sharon's firm, The Trust Company, was an event sponsor. Tammy is prez and CEO of Leadership Knoxville.

From left, Anthony Melchiorri, Sharon Miller Pryse, Tammy White and Ken Lowe. Sharon's firm, The Trust Company, was an event sponsor. Tammy is prez and CEO of Leadership Knoxville.

From left, Annette Brun and Cindy McConkey, both of Scripps Networks, Susan Brown, who was a member of the event planning committee and Sandi Swilley of Leadership Knoxville.

From left, Annette Brun and Cindy McConkey, both of Scripps Networks, Susan Brown, who was a member of the event planning committee and Sandi Swilley of Leadership Knoxville.

Sharon Miller Pryse, left, with John Tolsma and Anita Lane.

Sharon Miller Pryse, left, with John Tolsma and Anita Lane.

Gay Lyons, also a member of the planning committee, and Joe Pryse

Gay Lyons, also a member of the planning committee, and Joe Pryse

Janet Testerman, who also was on the planning committee, introduced her boss, Ken Lowe.

Janet Testerman, who also was on the planning committee, introduced her boss, Ken Lowe.

The event, a fundraiser for Leadership Knoxville, was a sell-out.

The event, a fundraiser for Leadership Knoxville, was a sell-out.

Scripps always has great swag for door prizes!

Scripps always has great swag for door prizes!

Matt White, here with his boss Renda Burkhart of the CPA firm Burkhart and Company, was one of the lucky winners.

Matt White, here with his boss Renda Burkhart of the CPA firm Burkhart and Company, was one of the lucky winners.

So was Mary Bogert.

So was Mary Bogert.

And Ann Bodie.

And Ann Bodie.

Cynthia Gibson, Scripps Networks executive vice president - legal, caught the tail end of the event.

Cynthia Gibson, Scripps Networks executive vice president - legal, caught the tail end of the event.

Nora Robinson, left, and Avice Reid

Nora Robinson, left, and Avice Reid

We didn't win a doorprize -- but we sorta did! Mary Ellen Brewington of Cherokee Distributing, gave my husband Alan Carmichael a sample carton of a new beer Cherokee is carrying.

We didn't win a door prize -- but we sorta did! Mary Ellen Brewington of Cherokee Distributing gave my husband Alan Carmichael a sample carton of a new beer Cherokee is carrying.

Here's a closer view.

Here's a closer view.

Alisonn Ferine was passing out cookies as lovely parting gifts.

Alyson Ferine was passing out cookies as lovely parting gifts.

Shaped like airplanes and cruise ships, they were courtesy of Travel Channel. Cute.

Shaped like airplanes and cruise ships, they were courtesy of Travel Channel. Cute.

It was dark when we left, and the satellite dishes were all lit up. Is this not the coolest thing?

It was dark when we left, and the satellite dishes were all lit up. Is this not the coolest thing?

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8 Responses to In Knoxville, Scripps employees “live the brand”

  1. Tami Hartmann, on February 1st, 2013 at 11:41 am said:

    Such a great story. I know several of those big city folks that have come to Knoxville and learned about good living. The secret is getting out and Knoxville is filling up with Damn Yankees:)

  2. Cynthia Moxley, on February 1st, 2013 at 2:07 pm said:

    Ha! You are right, Tami, about the secret being getting out and about. You aren’t going to see how much fun it is unless you venture out. And my number one recommendation is, of course, downtown!

  3. Jack Rose, on February 1st, 2013 at 4:00 pm said:

    And don’t forget about all those Whittle-ites who were dragged to Knoxville kicking and screaming, but who have stuck around to enrich our “scruffy little city.”

    Of course, thanks to you, Mox, I’m thinking of one in particular.

    But wouldn’t it be cool if Scripps did something like WDVX’s Blue Plate Special? Set up in a space, downtown, and do a live lunch time cooking show.

  4. Cynthia Moxley, on February 1st, 2013 at 4:02 pm said:

    Excellent point about the Whittle-ites. You couldn’t blast most of them out of here! And we (and hopefully, they) are better for it. I particularly like YOUR Whittle-ite!

    Love the cooking idea! Maybe the Scripps folks will be reading this and will see it. Great suggestion.

  5. Gay Lyons, on February 2nd, 2013 at 4:28 pm said:

    Very fun event–and a fun committee to work with in planning these.

  6. Cynthia Moxley, on February 3rd, 2013 at 4:34 pm said:

    Yes, Gay. It was a fun committee. I forgot to mention that I was on it. Guess I should, in the name of full disclosure. But I would have loved this event even if I had not been on the committee.

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