The group’s latest survey finds 1,053 TV stations running local news, more than ever before. Of those, 714 produce newscasts for themselves, while 339 rely on the producers in sharing arrangements.
RTDNA: Fewer Newsrooms, But More Outlets
Fewer TV stations are producing news, but a record number are airing it, according an annual survey of RTDNA and Hofsta University.
How’s that?
Seven hundred fourteen stations produce news, three fewer than last year, the survey says. However, the producing stations through sharing arrangements are distributing their news on 339 additional stations, 11 more than last year.
Altogether then, 1,053 stations run news, up eight from a year ago. That’s more than ever before, says Bob Papper, professor emeritus at Hofstra who oversees the survey.
The survey of all 1,681 non-satellite, full-power stations was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2015.
“The average amount of weekday news tied the all-time high set in 2012 of 5.5 hours, but the median weekday amount of 5.5 hours broke the old record by half an hour,” Papper says in his report on the survey.
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“Saturday’s average of 2.2 hours is also a record high, while Saturday’s median of 2 ties a record. Sunday’s average of 2 hours ties the record, but the Sunday median of 2 hours is an all time high.
“And the increases were pretty much across the board. With rare exception, every number either rose or stayed the same. One of the few exceptions to that involves NBC affiliates on weekdays, which dropped slightly.”
The survey also asked when stations were adding newscasts. The top two answers: 4 p.m., weekdays, and between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., weekdays.
To see the numbers and learn more, see RTDNA’s latest report on its annual newsroom survey here.
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