Television News

Regular Media Use

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1993 1996 1998 2000

Year

Perc

en

tag

e Network News

Local News

CNN

NPR

PBS

Newspaper

Most Popular NewsMost Popular News

News Source Percentage

Local TV News 65.5%

Local Newspaper 28.4%

National Network TV News

28.3%

Local Radio News Programs

14.7%

Internet 11.2%

National Newspaper 3.8%

Someplace Else 1.3%

Source: RTNDF Survey of the Future of the News, October 2006

Evening News Ratings Evening News Ratings

Source: Nielsen Media Research

Sources of InformationSources of Information

62%62% Local TV NewsLocal TV News 50%50% Cable TV NewsCable TV News 49%49% National TV NewsNational TV News 38% 38% NewspapersNewspapers 31%31% InternetInternet 30%30% RadioRadio

Rasmussen Poll Conducted August 3-4, 2008 Rasmussen Poll Conducted August 3-4, 2008 http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/pt_survey_toplines/august_2008/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/pt_survey_toplines/august_2008/

toplines_news_sources_august_3_4_2008toplines_news_sources_august_3_4_2008

2* Which cable news network do you 2* Which cable news network do you generally watch—Fox News, CNN, or generally watch—Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC?MSNBC?

35% Fox35% Fox 42% CNN42% CNN 20% MSNBC20% MSNBC 3% Not sure3% Not sure

Network NewsThe Big Three: 1985-2004

Tom BrokawPeter Jennings

Dan Rather

Network NewsThe (New) Big Three (and PBS)

Brian Williams

Charles Gibson

Katie Couric Jim Lehrer

Cable News AnchorsCable News Anchors

TV News ViewersTV News Viewers

In 2006, the median age of nightly news In 2006, the median age of nightly news viewers stayed at roughly 60 yearsviewers stayed at roughly 60 years

TV News desperately wants to attract TV News desperately wants to attract younger viewers without losing older onesyounger viewers without losing older ones

2006: Katie Couric Joins CBS

First woman anchor Recruited from Good Morning America (breakfast

television) Cohost of Good Morning America, Charles Gibson,

recruited to anchor ABC CBS increases soft news at first

CBS Reduces Hard NewsCBS Reduces Hard News

Minutes of Hard News in Couric's First Week

05

101520253035404550

ABC NBC CBS

Source: Andrew Tyndall

CBS and Katie Couric

Network NewsWho Is Winning?

Brian Williams

Charles Gibson

Katie Couric

3rd: 7,810,000

2nd: 8,950,000

1st: 9,380,000

Network News: Changes over past 20 Years:

Ownership changes: conglomeration by multinationals

a. 1985 General Electric buys NBC (5% of profits, 1994)

b. 1985 Capital Cities Communications buys ABC1995 Disney buys both

c. 1995 Westinghouse Electrical Corp. buys CBS (40% of profits in 1995)

Week 9: Television News

1. Ownership changes: Effects

a) Profits over Prestige (no more public service requirements)

b) Cost Cutting

c) Drive to increase audience share

Week 9: Television News

Changes over past 20 Years:

1. Ownership changes: Effects

2. More accessible stories:

a) Graphics

b) Soft News (infotainment)

c) Shorter, faster paced stories

d) Teasers (to stop people from using the remote)

Week 9: Television News

Changes over past 20 Years:

1. Ownership changes: Effects

2. More accessible stories:

3. Less Foreign News

a) Too expensive

b) Seen to be less relevant/important to public

Foreign CoverageForeign Coverage

Minutes of Foreign Coverage

0500

10001500200025003000350040004500

Year

Min

ute

s

Total

ABC

CBS

NBC

Week 9: Television News

Changes over past 20 Years:

1. Ownership changes: Effects

2. More accessible stories:

3. Less Foreign News

4. More commercials

Week 9: Television News

How much news is in a 30 minutes broadcast?:

CBS: 1981: 23:23

2000: 18:20

NBC: 2000:19:00

2003: 20:20

Cable NewsCable News

Source: Kagan Research, LLC, a division of Jupiter Kagan Inc.

Week 9: Local TV News

Why do we have local television news?

Week 9: Local TV News

Why do we have local television news?

1. Reflect local community interests

2. US is a very diverse, decentralized society: people think local

3. Most services controlled at state/local level: education, police, transportation, health, social services, etc.

4. PROFITS!!

Percentage of TV Station Revenue Percentage of TV Station Revenue Produced by News Produced by News

Year Average Percentage

2005 44.9%

2004 42.8%

2003 46.1%

2002 39.7%

Source: RTNDA/Ball State University

Factors That Drive Local TV News:

1. Time

2. Staff

3. Technology

4. Dramatic power of visual images

5. Competition for viewers

6. Costs

Factors That Drive Local TV News:

1. Time

2. Staff

3. Technology

4. Dramatic power of visual images

5. Competition for viewers

6. Costs

7. Profits!!!

New DevelopmentsNew Developments

One of the major issues in local TV news One of the major issues in local TV news in recent years has been the trend toward in recent years has been the trend toward stations producing more news without stations producing more news without increasing their staff to do it. increasing their staff to do it.

Local TV content can now be accessed as Local TV content can now be accessed as podcasts, on cell phones, on outdoor podcasts, on cell phones, on outdoor screens and streamed over the Internet. screens and streamed over the Internet.

Week 9: Local TV News

Group Exercise 1:

Pretend you are a local tv station here:

1. What sorts of stories are important for people in a local community?

2. Will people watch if you show these stories?

3. How do you maintain an audience?

Topics in Local TV, Percent of all time

Morning Evening Late All Gov’t/Elections 8% 12% 13% 11% Crime 38 46 44 42 Accidents 9 6 6 8 Business 8 5 * 5 Domes. Issues 6 13 23 14 Science 1 2 4 2 Foreign Rel. 5 2 3 4 Defense/Military 2 5 1 2 Celebrity/Entertainment

7 2 2 4 Lifestyle 16 8 3 10

•TOPIC RANGE

•STORY FOCUS

•ENTERPRISE LEVEL

•NUMBER OF SOURCES

•VIEWPOINTS

•SOURCE EXPERTISE

•LOCAL RELEVANCE

What is a "Good" Newscast?

Watch the local news broadcast:

1. What tactics were used to attract viewers?

2. Are these examples of bad journalism?

3. What aspects were good?