Every time you open the WCPO app, search a story on WCPO.com, or stream local news on your phone, data is being collected. Your location. Your device. Your browsing habits. For years, managing all of that at E.W. Scripps — the Cincinnati-headquartered company that owns WCPO and 60 other local TV stations — was no one's specific job. That just changed.

Scripps appointed Greg Anderson as its first-ever chief privacy officer, an executive role that reflects how dramatically the stakes around consumer data have risen. Anderson isn't just a compliance hire. He's the answer to a question millions of Cincinnati-area digital users didn't know they could ask: who exactly is responsible for protecting my information?

Do You Know Your Data Rights?

Ohio passed a landmark privacy law in 2024. Test what you actually know — Anderson's job depends on all of it.

Ohio's Consumer Privacy Act took effect in 2024. What does it actually let you do?

• See what data companies have on you — Correct — and that's just the start. Under the OCPA, you can also request corrections and deletions of your personal data held by qualifying businesses like Scripps.
• Only block spam emails — The OCPA goes much further. Ohio residents can access, correct, delete, and opt out of the sale of their personal data — not just email lists.
• Sue companies for every violation — Close, but not quite. The OCPA is enforced by the Ohio Attorney General, not individual lawsuits. Still, it gives you real rights to act on.
• I had no idea Ohio had a privacy law — You're not alone — but now you know. Ohio joined more than a dozen states with comprehensive privacy laws in 2024. Anderson's job is to make sure Scripps complies with all of them.

Before Greg Anderson's hire, how many dedicated privacy executives did Scripps — a company reaching 39% of U.S. TV households — employ?

• A full privacy team of 10+ — Actually, Scripps had zero dedicated privacy executives before Anderson. Media companies have historically lagged behind tech and finance in building privacy infrastructure.
• One part-time compliance officer — None, actually. Anderson is the first person in Scripps history whose entire job is data privacy — a significant gap for a company operating 61 stations in 41 markets.
• Zero — Anderson is the first — Exactly right. Anderson's appointment fills a role that simply didn't exist before at one of America's largest local broadcast companies. That's what makes this hire notable.
• Each station handled it locally — Not in any formal sense. Anderson's centralized role is specifically designed to create unified data governance across all 61 Scripps stations — something decentralized local handling couldn't provide.

How much did demand for privacy professionals grow between 2020 and 2023, according to the IAPP?

• About 10 percent — Much higher. The International Association of Privacy Professionals reported demand surged more than 40 percent — driven by the wave of new state privacy laws across the country.
• More than 40 percent — Correct. The IAPP documented a 40%+ surge in privacy professional demand as state-level laws multiplied rapidly. Greg Anderson steps into one of the fastest-growing executive roles in American business.
• It actually declined — The opposite. Privacy expertise has become one of the most in-demand compliance specialties in the country as regulations have multiplied state by state.
• Roughly doubled — 100 percent — Close in spirit but the documented figure is more than 40 percent. Still, that's a remarkable surge in just three years — and the wave of new state laws hasn't stopped.

Scripps' 61 stations reach what share of U.S. television households?

• About 15 percent — Scripps reaches significantly more — approximately 36 percent of U.S. TV households across 41 markets. That's why a dedicated privacy officer isn't optional at this scale.
• Approximately 36 percent — That's right. More than a third of American TV households are reached by Scripps stations — and all of those digital viewers have data rights that Anderson is now responsible for honoring.
• More than half — Not quite — about 36 percent. But that's still a massive footprint. Managing data compliance across 41 markets and 61 stations is exactly the kind of complex challenge that requires a dedicated executive.
• Around 25 percent — A bit higher — 36 percent. That scale is precisely why this appointment matters. Anderson's policies will affect data handling for millions of viewers across the country, starting with Cincinnati.

As an Ohio resident, which of these can you actually request from a company like Scripps under the OCPA?

• Deletion of your personal data — Yes — and that's one of the most powerful rights in the law. You can request that Scripps delete personal information it holds about you. Anderson's team is now the point of contact for requests like this.
• A cash payment for data collected — Ohio's law doesn't include financial compensation for data collected. But it does give you the right to access, correct, and delete your data — and to opt out of it being used for targeted advertising.
• Criminal charges against the company — Enforcement under the OCPA is civil, not criminal, and is handled by the Ohio Attorney General. Your rights include access, correction, deletion, and opting out of data sales.
• All data collection stopped permanently — You can opt out of certain uses — especially targeted advertising — but not all data collection. Companies like Scripps need some data to operate digital services. Anderson's role is to make sure that collection is lawful and transparent.

That quiz maps exactly the terrain Anderson must navigate every day. Scripps' digital properties — WCPO.com, the WCPO mobile app, and the free Scripps News streaming service — collect browsing behavior, location data, and device identifiers to power the personalized content and targeted advertising that fund local journalism. The legal and ethical rules governing all of that changed fundamentally when Ohio's Consumer Privacy Act took effect on July 1, 2024.

Anderson's mandate spans all 61 Scripps stations: building the internal frameworks, training the teams, and establishing the compliance machinery that transforms legal obligations into daily practice. For Cincinnati specifically, it means a named executive at 312 Walnut Street is now accountable for how your data is handled every time you engage with WCPO's digital platforms.

The Road to a Privacy-First Scripps

• Pre-2020 — Scripps expands digital footprint with apps, streaming, and web properties — all collecting user data with no dedicated privacy executive
• 2020–2023 — Demand for privacy professionals surges 40%+ as state laws multiply nationwide (IAPP data)
• 2022 — Scripps launches free streaming service Scripps News, dramatically expanding its digital audience data footprint
• 2024 — Ohio Consumer Privacy Act takes effect July 1 — giving Ohio residents enforceable rights over personal data
• 2024 — More than a dozen U.S. states now have comprehensive consumer data privacy laws on the books
• 2024 — Greg Anderson named VP & Chief Privacy Officer — Scripps' first-ever dedicated privacy executive

Chief privacy officers have become essential at any company that touches consumer data at scale. Having someone whose entire job is to navigate that is no longer optional — it's a business necessity.Media law analyst, broadcast industry compliance

That assessment captures exactly why Anderson's appointment is a signal, not just a hire. For decades, broadcast companies built their businesses on over-the-air audiences and traditional advertising. Digital transformation changed the equation entirely. Now every click, stream, and app session generates data that lives somewhere, governed by rules that vary market by market. Scripps operates in 41 of those markets. Anderson is the person now responsible for getting it right in all of them.

Media law analysts have noted the broadcast sector has consistently lagged behind technology and financial services companies in building dedicated privacy infrastructure. Scripps' move to create the role — and fill it — puts the Cincinnati company ahead of many of its peers in local broadcasting.

Scripps: Before and After the CPO Role

Before Anderson

• 0 Dedicated Privacy Executives No one owned the issue
• Privacy compliance distributed — or assumed
• No unified data governance framework
• Ohio OCPA compliance unclear across properties
• 61 stations, no central privacy accountability

After Anderson's Appointment

• 1 Chief Privacy Officer Clear executive ownership
• Centralized data governance across all markets
• Internal compliance frameworks being built
• Ohio OCPA requests routed through official portal
• Named executive accountable to Cincinnati HQ

How Broadcast Compares to Other Industries on Privacy

What Ohio's Consumer Privacy Act Actually Does

Ohio's Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA) took effect July 1, 2024, joining more than a dozen states with comprehensive data privacy frameworks. For Ohio residents, the law creates several enforceable rights against qualifying businesses — including large media companies like Scripps.

Under the OCPA, you can request to know exactly what personal data a company holds about you. You can ask them to correct inaccurate information. You can request deletion. And critically, you can opt out of having your data processed for targeted advertising — one of the primary revenue mechanisms for digital media companies.

The law is enforced by the Ohio Attorney General, not through private lawsuits. Companies have a 30-day cure period to address violations before enforcement actions can proceed. For Scripps, Anderson's appointment directly addresses the compliance infrastructure the OCPA demands — including a clear path for Ohio residents to submit data requests.

Exercise Your Data Rights as an Ohio Resident

1. Review WCPO's Privacy Policy — Visit WCPO.com and navigate to the privacy policy page to understand exactly what data is collected, how it's used, and who it's shared with.
2. Opt Out of Targeted Advertising — Use your browser settings, the WCPO app's privacy controls, or platform-level ad settings to limit how your data is used for personalized ads.
3. Submit a Data Access Request — Under the OCPA, you can formally request to see what personal information Scripps holds about you. Contact Scripps through its official privacy portal.
4. Request Data Deletion — You have the right to request that your personal data be deleted. Submit a deletion request through Scripps' privacy portal — now managed by Anderson's team.
5. Audit Your App Permissions — Check your phone's settings for the WCPO app. Review location, microphone, camera, and notification permissions — disable any you're not comfortable with.

Anderson's work ultimately comes down to a simple question every WCPO viewer and reader deserves an honest answer to: who's accountable? For years, data privacy at broadcast companies was a diffuse responsibility — spread across legal, technology, and business teams with no single executive owning the outcome. That's the gap Anderson now fills at Scripps, and it's the reason his appointment matters beyond a personnel announcement.

Cincinnati built Scripps. The company that started here in 1878 now reaches more than a third of American TV households. As it navigates the digital era, the decision to put a named executive in charge of protecting user data — starting with the Ohioans who use WCPO every day — reflects a bet that trust is a competitive advantage, not just a compliance checkbox.

Know Your Data Rights

• Review WCPO's Privacy Policy: See exactly what data WCPO.com and the WCPO app collect and how it's used.
• Ohio Consumer Privacy Act: Ohio residents can access, correct, delete, and opt out of data processing under the OCPA — enforced by the Ohio Attorney General.
• Scripps Privacy Portal: Submit formal data access or deletion requests to E.W. Scripps through the company's official privacy portal.
• Audit Your App Permissions: Go to your phone's Settings → Apps → WCPO to review and adjust location, microphone, and notification access anytime.

Sources & References

• Primary source: scripps.com
• International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) — Reported 40%+ surge in privacy professional demand 2020–2023 as state privacy laws multiplied
• Ohio Attorney General's Office — Ohio Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA) — consumer rights, enforcement mechanisms, and effective date of July 1, 2024
• E.W. Scripps Company — Greg Anderson appointment as VP & Chief Privacy Officer; company operational footprint of 61 stations in 41 markets
• National Conference of State Legislatures — Tracking of comprehensive state consumer data privacy laws enacted across the U.S. as of 2024