The Associated Press

The E.W. Scripps Co. has hired a lawyer with Viacom Inc.'s BET television network to fill a new job of general counsel.

A.B. Cruz III will serve as senior vice president and general counsel, effective March 29, Scripps said.

The company said it created the position because of its growth and the increasing need to comply with federal regulations. The company for years has used outside attorneys to handle its legal affairs.

In recent years, Scripps has acquired the Food Network cable channel, Shop At Home television network and Summit America Television Inc., including Summit's five TV stations and its 30 percent interest in the Shop At Home network.

Cruz, 45, has been vice president, deputy general counsel and assistant secretary since 1999 with BET Holdings Inc. He played a role in BET's $3 billion merger with Viacom in 2001.

He previously represented telecommunications businesses as a lawyer in Washington.

Scripps, based in Cincinnati, also operates the cable channels Home & Garden Television, DIY - Do It Yourself Network and Fine Living; 21 daily newspapers; 10 broadcast TV stations; cable and satellite TV programming services; Scripps Howard News Service; and United Media, which licenses and syndicates the Peanuts and Dilbert comic strips.