Law&Crime Buys Court TV in Digital Media Shake-Up

Dan Abrams’ digital-first true-crime network, Law&Crime, is acquiring the iconic Court TV brand from The E.W. Scripps Company. The deal puts the legacy cable network under the ownership of Jellysmack, a YouTube-native media company, flipping the traditional script where legacy players typically buy digital upstarts.

• Strengthening the books: For Scripps, which relaunched the network in 2019, the sale is a strategic move to shore up its finances. Scripps President and CEO Adam Symson noted the exit will "strengthen our balance sheet," calling the brand a "natural complement" to Law&Crime's existing library.

• An Abrams homecoming: Law&Crime will operate Court TV as a distinct brand, positioning it as the network’s main destination for trial coverage. The move represents a homecoming for Abrams, who began his career at the original Court TV. "There is no better partner than Law&Crime to continue the distinctive Court TV brand and network," Abrams said in a statement.

The acquisition shows that in the modern media landscape, a massive digital audience can be the ultimate leverage, allowing new media players to purchase and remake the very legacy brands that once dominated the airwaves. The move by parent company Jellysmack follows its previous acquisition of Law&Crime in 2023, signaling a clear strategy of rolling up successful creator-led media brands. The deal gives Law&Crime control of a brand known for its coverage of high-profile cases, including the widely watched Depp vs. Heard trial.