In a notable cross-platform deal, social-first media company Law&Crime has agreed to acquire Court TV from The E.W. Scripps Company, marking a rare instance of a digital-native brand purchasing a traditional linear television network.
The transaction underscores the continued convergence of legacy broadcast assets and creator-led, platform-driven businesses. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Court TV, originally launched in 1991, was relaunched by Scripps in May 2019 after the company acquired the brand rights from Turner Broadcasting. The network has since focused on live trial coverage and courtroom programming, including high-profile proceedings such as Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard, the trial of Alex Murdaugh and the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Law&Crime was founded by ABC News chief legal analyst Dan Abrams as a digital-first legal and true-crime brand built around live trial coverage and analysis. Acquired by media company Jellysmack in 2023, Law&Crime operates two free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels, maintains distribution partnerships across major streaming platforms and runs 25 YouTube channels, including a flagship channel with more than 7 million subscribers.
The acquisition positions a company that built its audience primarily on social and streaming platforms as the owner of a legacy cable network brand – a reversal of the more common pattern of traditional media groups acquiring digital publishers.
Scripps president and CEO Adam Symson said the sale aligns with the company’s long-term portfolio strategy. “This move is consistent with the way Scripps has operated for nearly a century and a half: we identify where consumer behaviour is headed, build and grow businesses that meet those evolving interests and make strategic decisions about how we unlock their greatest value – whether in our portfolio or through exits that strengthen our balance sheet and position us for the future.”
Abrams (pictured) said Court TV and Law&Crime will continue to operate as distinct brands, with Court TV serving as the company’s central linear destination for trial coverage.
“There is no better partner than Law&Crime to continue the distinctive Court TV brand and network,” Abrams said. “Court TV will become our hub for all trial content and coverage as its own standalone channel and brand.”
The deal reflects the growing influence of creator-led and platform-native media companies as they expand beyond digital distribution into television infrastructure.
