Time- and staff-starved newsrooms often cling tightly to practices they’ve always had, impeding their ability to take on newer, more relevant projects. Here are some practices to question and some enterprises that might better replace them.
REINVENTING THE NEWS
Sometimes, Local News Just Needs To Know Where To Stop
Sean McLaughlin
It was a scene that I had watched play out a dozen times last year marked by panicked expressions, frustration and even a couple of tears. All of it was in response to a simple question: What is your local newsroom prepared to stop doing?
I was surprised how invariably this was the point where progress in meetings about evolving the local news brand and product ground to a halt. There is a strange hoarding mentality in many TV stations; they can only add to the list of things they do, while nothing ever drops off. This has become a burden that is increasingly difficult to bear.
We are well past the collision point at the intersection of quality, volume and resources. Something has to give, as many local stations have bitten off far more than they are able to chew. They produce way too many newscasts, have too many commitments, deploy content on too many platforms and have too few people to do it all consistently. Factor in the shrinking years of experience in most newsrooms and you have a recipe for mediocrity, which is ground zero of local news’ and promotions’ challenge today.
In this particular conversation I was having with a TV station about how to reinvent their news brand and better align their products to a company-wide content strategy, we identified a solid 10-12 action items, many new things to do on a permanent basis. There was just one problem: How could they be done in addition to everything the station had already committed to in an environment where staffing continues to shrink and would only continue to do so?
The hardest, most controversial things to talk through concern what to dial back on or stop doing altogether. Passion and traditions run deep and often prevent an unbiased analysis of ROE (return on effort). But the rubber hits the road when you marry this with staffing realties. Not only do stations have fewer people, but the ones who remain are burning out, which perpetuates the problem. More turnover makes everything more challenging. How and where do you start to rein this in? Let’s start with the elephant in the room.
BRAND CONNECTIONS
What is the right amount of local news for a station to produce? This question is a political bomb, especially when you factor in political advertising, one of the few somewhat reliable revenue streams every other year, particularly if you’re fortunate enough to be in a purple state.
Let’s put that element aside for a minute and really be honest: How much can truly be produced well with the resources you have?
Over the last few years, I always found myself as the odd news guy pushing back at the suggestion of adding more local news. The reason? Conversations basically went like this: “We can add an hour of news every day, and we only need to add three more people!”
It’s been the local news conundrum for years: Ask for too many resources and the plan won’t be approved, so let’s create one more cheaply produced local newscast that waters down the content and floods the market with even more local news inventory. Meanwhile, it also takes precious resources away from your other important newscasts. Who is the winner in this scenario? Nobody. I’ve accepted the fact that the reliance on political advertising to fund the journalism is important but realizing the price to be paid in terms of product quality can be significant.
Beyond the political advertising, another common reason to add more local news is that the competition is on at that time. I firmly believe it is beyond OK that every station doesn’t have the exact same news offering at the exact same time every day.
One station I worked with over the years came to corporate every year, convinced if they could add more weekend news, it would improve their last-place performance in the market. This always felt a little bit like the J.C. Penney strategy being built around opening more stores: Just one more new store and everything will be better!
In reality, if the products and brand aren’t connecting, the quantity isn’t what’s wrong. Never expand from a position of weakness. It never works, especially in an already oversaturated market. It’s an understandable temptation for highly rated stations but remember to use this only to secure your position in the market instead of endangering it.
There are a lot of other things that need to be re-thought as you reimagine how to strengthen and broaden the relationship between your station and your local community. Again, from the backdrop of “something has to give,” I’ve long wondered about resources allocated to topical promotion. Ratings on lead-in programming simply aren’t what they used to be, but many stations haven’t revisited this resource allocation.
If the shows prior to the local news average a .2 rating, the best topical promotion in the world will not have an impact. Better to find a more strategic use of these resources built around a future station model, not the one built for a business that doesn’t exist anymore.
Station events and community partnerships are another area of opportunity where there is a lot of emotional attachment. In days past, one need only utter the phrase “there’s revenue attached to it” and it meant automatic renewal. I encourage you to dig deeper on actual cost and actual benefit. It’s like everything else: Just because you’ve done it forever doesn’t mean you need to continue.
Consider starting with a clean slate. Begin with how many things your station can actually support, then rebuild the list with clear criteria focused on brand values and impact. Ask yourself of every event: Is it something that is ultimately about our future or a relic of our past where everyone has been too afraid to pull the plug? Also, ask if these are events that everyday viewers find important and relatable or are they only catering to the community elite?
As cliché as it may sound, all this needs to be approached by thinking like a start-up instead of a legacy news organization. How you choose to use local resources has never been more challenging or more important. Like so many other things, the way it used to be doesn’t mean the way it is going forward.
Like the hoarding analogy I used earlier, the boxes and clutter are becoming unsightly, the system isn’t working and it’s time to make the tough decisions that create clarity around the mission of your news operation and refocus in a way that allows you to do fewer things, better.
Veteran local TV news executive Sean McLaughlin most recently was SVP, local news, for the E.W. Scripps Co.
Comments (3)
Retired CPA says:
April 12, 2024 at 11:08 am
The blame for all of this rests on the Corporate owners. They pushed down adding newscasts, multiple digital channels, requiring multiple postings on social media, et al and of course, often didn’t approve additional FTE’s. Their eyes were on making more and more revenue and then they wondered why they didn’t always see it in the bottom line. All of the personnel at the stations had to absorb their additional demands..Sales, Traffic, Accounting, Production, Technical, and News. When asked if a new idea would bring in revenue Sales said they could sell it…but digital channel spots were $1 each. How did that cover the work of everyone involved in getting them the air? It didn’t. Multiple newscasts from morning to evening have become nothing more than repeating the same stories ad nauseam and sometime the exact same story the next day with what seems like an increasing commercial load – making them almost unwatchable. I asked my adult children if they watch local news for the news stories, weather, or sports and the resounding answer was NO, NEVER. I watch these newscasts for local news, (not national), and weather. I could care less about sports and now sports is slinking its way into the main part of the newscast. I hope local news can be saved, but I am not sure..even I am watching it less. Finally, the local station personnel are hard working and care about the product and are doing the best with what they have. As I started this, I want to end it – the Corporate owners should carry the majority of the blame of what is happening to local stations.
[email protected] says:
April 13, 2024 at 1:10 am
No mention of your idea of the Scrippscast that has been an epic fail at Scripps that idea should’ve never been approved. Te only TV stations in West Michigan that have news at 4PM are Scripps own WXMI Fox17 they were the first 10 years ago come Sep when Tribune owned Fox17 and Wood TV once Ellen ended in 2022. WZZM & WWMT don’t do 4PM newscasts as Judge Judy repeats have remained along with DR. Phil on WWMT.
Murph says:
April 14, 2024 at 10:13 am
I find your recent commentary to be…interesting. I’ve wanted to write this for a couple of days now, so when I sat down this morning to do so I tuned into the local morning news to keep me company. I’d like to give you some perspective from a viewer.
I’m born and raised here, and grew to enjoy the local FOX station for a variety of reasons, starting with the market’s first 10:00 pm newscast back in the day. More and more, I tuned in to this station. The Morning Mix was informative yet fun, did things that the other “traditional” stations wouldn’t or couldn’t, and had more time to really explore topics than the other stations. The expanded news time also resulted in more in-depth coverage of local sports, specifically at the high school level. As a viewer, it looked like this station was designed from the ground up to serve our LOCAL community.
Things started to change rapidly a few years back. After a bit of research, that change appears to correlate with the acquisition of the station by Scripps. I rarely if ever watch anymore, mostly because the vast majority of content no longer has any relevance to me. I’m not sure how their acquisition of this station meant that I suddenly wanted large chunks of my “local” news to originate in / feature Lansing or Detroit (or Cincinnati, Denver, or Tampa for that matter). The station no longer has the edge, the fun, the curiosity – it looks, sounds and acts like any other station in town, with the same dwindling local content. And that is sad.
This morning’s news consisted of weather, the same taped traffic segment on repeat, a story (about Autism + Art) from Detroit, a story about traffic during the NFL Draft from Detroit, a story about Israel from Fox News, a story about a woman searching for a date on a billboard in California, a clearly not local package on taxes (did you know they were due tomorrow?), a quick blurb about tulips blooming early in British Columbia (did you know that one of the largest tulip festivals in the world is in THIS market?), a snippet of a lost horse in Australia, a clip of a goat stuck on a bridge in Kansas City. There was also a feature about a skilled trades conference taking place “all weekend” (it effectively ended yesterday), a zoom interview of a local softball coach because, evidently, there wasn’t enough time in the day to talk to him in person.as well as the repeat of a package about local sports mascots that originally aired this past Tuesday. No clue whether Crash and Griff’s teams played yesterday, but at least I now evidently know what makes them “tick”.
Let’s talk about the local content I consumed on other mediums yesterday. I learned that the Detroit Tigers Single A affiliate lost both games of a doubleheader against Quad Cities, that the Detroit Red Wings Triple A affiliate won 3-1, staying strong as they approach the playoffs. I saw that a local racetrack had its first open practice of the season, learned that there is a massive bike/hike trail system in the state called the Iron Belle Trail (look it up, pretty cool), and realized I need to get moving if I want to plant my own seedlings this year. I saw a big barge on Lake Michigan that I “think” is a dredger…wonder how that works? I learned that a former Detroit Red Wing had to find safe harbor for his 80+ foot yacht at a local marina when his bow thrusters failed. And speaking of the Red Wings, they kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-4 OT victory in Toronto.
I learned of five new-to-me breakfast spots in the area, and tricks/shortcuts to avoid backups from the traffic issues the local news repeated six times over the last three hours. I also saw that the Twins scored seven runs in the twelfth inning (yes, 12th) to beat the Tigers 11-5. Despite the fact that it was cool and breezy, yesterday was a spectacular day in our area. People were out and about, in their yards, digging in dirt, mowing lawns, sharing laughs with friends. Golf courses were opening their doors, and giggling mobs of six year olds chased soccer balls all over the area. There were festivals and proms and 5k races. People started to open cottages, put in docks, think about getting a fishing license. So many new and exciting things here, especially this time of year.
I’m trying to not be harsh here, but…I no longer have a reason to “turn on the news”. So I thought I’d throw out some earnest suggestions on what else local stations need to stop.
Please stop acting like it’s 1972. Despite adding local news hours, you’ve added the same old thing on top of the same old thing, or copied someone else’s concept (see “infotainment” programming) and put your own branding on it. Your graphics are the same, your urgent music is all the same, your fake sets are all the same.
Stop telling me to go to your website “for more information”, when the only thing on your website about that particular story is…a transcript and embedded video of that particular story. And while I’m at it, PLEASE stop riddling your websites with “ads” that don’t exactly live up to the brand you think you represent. There is no “One Wild Trick”, my colon is fine thank you, and I’m really not interested in participating in a “survey” for hearing aids. Oh, and a reminder that you are a television station…you might want to have a readily available link to your on-air schedule on your home page, vs. literally nowhere on your site.
Please stop hiring/featuring newsreaders, and actively search for journalists who want to do more than ace the teleprompter. Please start cultivating and more importantly retaining local staff, those who know that summer twilight lasts until after 10:00 pm in these parts, who know how to pronounce cities and towns, who understand rivalries, who get local jokes and the “S” curve, who at least try to learn how to play euchre, who choose to give back to their community regularly and quietly.
Please stop reading two sentences about what could be a great topic. Be curious. There are thousands of stories to be told around this area if you embrace curiosity. Go deeper on issues. Here’s an example. This area is booming. What is our housing situation like? What are the affordable housing challenges? How is urban sprawl affecting rural communities? How is this construction burst affecting our infrastructure and natural resources (eg groundwater)? What are the challenges for local communities (cities, townships, counties)? Who are the cool people? Who does really amazing things in their hometown? How do I get started with on the local bike trail? How can I learn how to plant some vegetables, and preserve them at harvest?
Please stop being timid. Be bold. Take some issues on. Have more real discussions about real issues with engagement from both sides, with normal people who have normal beliefs, issues and circumstances. Show your viewers that there are alternatives for factual information and common sense debate that may be preferable to the latest meme on Facebook. If you still feel the need to fill your newscasts with compelling content like stuck goats and runaway horses, consider curating a few creators to bring their unique local content to your viewers.
Please stop using terms like “innovate”. The local television business clearly cannot figure out how to innovate from within. I guarantee you would have better leaders if they were able to step away from “the business” long enough to be able to see it through a different lens…or at least through the lens of someone who has never stepped in a newsroom.
Please stop with the cartoonish announcers. No one talks like that. No one. Not even game show announcers. And while I’m at it, please stop “Made for Revenue” projects without clearly and honestly informing viewers that an advertiser provided some form of consideration to be featured by you as a “Trusted Advisor” or “Home Pro”. At the very least, implement a vetting process to ensure that these “Trusted Advisors” are worthy of the badge you gave them.
Please stop listening to consultants (here’s a hint: weather is important) and start engaging – truly engaging – with your viewers. Get out from behind the set. Your viewers are people who live in THIS amazing area. Embrace that. Lose the ill-fitting suit and hilarious pocket square, and dress more like us normal folk. With today’s technology, there’s no reason you can’t spend more and more time out in this community, talking with and listening to the people who make it great, understanding and spreading stories that educate, entertain, inform, that truly make a difference. That make a difference here. Again, not in Lansing, or Detroit, or Vegas, or Milwaukee.
Most importantly, please stop treating local news as a cash cow. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought local television stations were licensed to SERVE their LOCAL communities, not to wring every last molecule of profit out of a dying medium. Quality local news should be absolutely vital in a thriving community. It’s time to get back to that.