SCRIPPS HOWARD, INC.  ("NEW SCRIPPS")


                      Index to Exhibits
                              
                              
Exhibit
    No.                Item                                   Page


     12       Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges               E-2

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<TABLE>
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                                                                              EXHIBIT 12
<CAPTION>
( in thousands )                                                      Three months ended                  Nine months ended    
                                                                        September 30,                       September 30,      
                                                                     1996             1995              1996             1995  
                                                                                                                               
<S>                                                              <C>              <C>               <C>              <C>
EARNINGS AS DEFINED:                                                                                                           
Earnings from operations before income taxes after                                                                             
     eliminating undistributed earnings of 20%- to                                                                             
     50%-owned affiliates                                        $   43,362       $   32,871        $  132,404       $  125,356
Fixed charges excluding capitalized interest and                                                                               
     preferred stock dividends of majority-owned                                                                               
     subsidiary companies                                             3,548            3,267             8,873           11,293
                                                                                                                               
Earnings as defined                                              $   46,910       $   36,138        $  141,277       $  136,649
                                                                                                                               
FIXED CHARGES AS DEFINED:                                                                                                      
Interest expense, including amortization of                                                                                    
     debt issue costs                                            $    2,713       $    2,441        $    6,350       $    8,623
Interest capitalized                                                    158              183               567              270
Portion of rental expense representative                                                                                       
     of the interest factor                                             835              826             2,523            2,670
Preferred stock dividends of majority-owned                                                                                    
     subsidiary companies                                                20               20                60               60
                                                                                                                               
Fixed charges as defined                                         $    3,726       $    3,470        $    9,500       $   11,623
                                                                                                                               
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                                    12.59            10.41             14.87            11.76
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