The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) 8-K Other Events

E-1

Exhibit 12

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

( in thousands )	Years ended December 31,
	2005		2004		2003
Earnings as Defined:
Earnings from operations before income taxes after eliminating undistributed earnings of 20%- to 50%-owned affiliates	$	634,812	$	579,521	$	457,051
Fixed charges excluding capitalized interest and preferred stock dividends of majority-owned subsidiary companies		46,923		38,466		38,027
Earnings as defined	$	681,735	$	617,987	$	495,078
Fixed Charges as Defined:
Interest expense, including amortization of debt issue costs	$	38,791	$	30,877	$	31,548
Interest capitalized				600		491
Portion of rental expense representative of the interest factor		8,132		7,589		6,479
Preferred stock dividends of majority-owned subsidiary companies		80		80		80
Fixed charges as defined	$	47,003	$	39,146	$	38,598
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges		14.50		15.79		12.83