THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY EXHIBIT 12 COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES ( in thousands ) September 30, Years ended December 31, 1995 1994 1994 1993 1992 EARNINGS AS DEFINED: Earnings from operations before income taxes after eliminating undistributed earnings of 20%- to 50%-owned affiliates $ 125,502 $ 163,722 $ 185,611 $ 209,278 $ 165,366 Fixed charges excluding capitalized interest and preferred stock dividends of majority-owned subsidiary companies 11,293 16,074 20,966 30,240 38,150 Earnings as defined $ 136,795 $ 179,796 $ 206,577 $ 239,518 $ 203,516 FIXED CHARGES AS DEFINED: Interest expense, including amortization of debt issue costs $ 8,623 $ 12,934 $ 16,274 $ 26,397 $ 33,792 Interest capitalized 270 66 4,458 Portion of rental expense representative of the interest factor 2,670 2,418 3,696 3,181 3,920 Preferred stock dividends of majority-owned subsidiary companies 60 60 80 82 119 Share of interest expense related to guaranteed debt of a 50%-owned affiliated company 722 996 662 438 Fixed charges as defined $ 11,623 $ 16,134 $ 21,046 $ 30,388 $ 42,727 RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES 11.77 11.14 9.82 7.88 4.76