television news. most popular news news sourcepercentage local tv news65.5% local newspaper28.4%...
TRANSCRIPT
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?