(RTTNews) - Lifestyle content and interactive services provider Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI: News ) is scheduled to announce its third-quarter results before the market opens Friday. Wall Street analysts expect a year-on-year decline in the company's earnings and revenues for the quarter.

Scripps develops lifestyle-oriented content for television and the Internet, along with online video, social media areas and e-commerce components on companion Web sites and broadband vertical channels. The company's media portfolio includes Lifestyle Media, lifestyle television and Internet brands HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, or FLN, country music network Great American Country, and Interactive Services. The company also provides online search and comparison shopping services BizRate and Shopzilla.

On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report a profit of $0.37 per share for the quarter on revenues of $365.62 million.

During the same quarter last year, the company had reported earnings of $0.41 per share on revenues of $374.71 million.

The company had said Thursday that it would form a joint venture with Cox Communications Inc. (COX: News ) by which the company will acquire a controlling interest in Cox's Travel Channel. The transaction is structured as a leveraged joint venture between the companies.

Travel Channel, which was launched in 1987, now reaches about 95 million U.S. television households. The deal values the cable-television network at $975 million. Scripps will pay $181 million in cash and Cox will contribute the channel. The partnership will also carry $696 million in net debt. Upon completion of the transaction, Scripps will own 65% of the Travel Channel and Cox will retain a 35% minority stake in it.
In the preceding second quarter, Cincinnati, Ohio-based Scripps had reported an increase in its earnings, though revenues dipped. It had benefited from the absence of a charge recorded in the year ago period. The second-quarter net income attributable to the company was $79.52 million or $0.48 per share, compared with $53.27 million or $0.33 per share in the last year. Operating revenues decreased 3.7% to $391.27 million from $406.46 million in the same quarter of fiscal 2008.

The company then stated that its full-year affiliate fee revenue was expected to increase around 15% and Shopzilla segment profit was estimated to be above $30 million.

Among others in the sector, Discovery Communications, Inc. (DISCA: News ) earlier this week reported a decline in its profit for the third quarter, despite a rise in revenues, reflecting higher expenses mainly related to selling and corporate administration. Net income attributable to the company's shareholders declined to $95 million or $0.22 per share from $134 million or $0.44 per share last year. Total revenues were $854 million, up from $845 million a year ago.

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