The Food Network’s World O’ Corporate Restructurin’

Three weeks after FishbowlNY broke the news that the Food Network was ending new episodes of Emeril Live, we find some additional info on the mysterious cancellation (coughcontractshenaniganscough) courtesy of Elizabeth Jensen over at the Times. In her words, “industry executives are scratching their heads over why the network canceled Emeril Live – which they speculate became too expensive for its softening ratings – without having a new deal in place, given the role that his program played in the network’s success.”

Could the odd move have to do with the fact that parent company Scripps is spinning off the Food Network (and sister channel HGTV) into a seperate company? Could it have to do with the fact that the Food Network is launching their first line of celebrity chef-branded cooking goods, for Bobby Flay, in Spring ’08? You know, with profits going directly to the Food Network instead of directly to Emeril Lagasse or Mario Batali? Or how Scripps partially owns Rachael Ray‘s syndicated talk show? Eh, probably.

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