Date: Jul 16, 2012

Latest RTDNA/Hofstra Survey Shows Increase in Local TV News Content and Jobs

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY -- The latest Radio Television Digital News Association/Hofstra University Survey has found that, on average, local broadcast television stations have added almost an hour’s worth of news to daily schedules over the last three years. In addition, TV news staffing increased significantly in 2011, adding more than 1,100 jobs.  

Bob Papper, chair of the Department of Journalism, Media Studies and Public Relations in Hofstra University’s School of Communication, oversees the annual survey and notes that while newspapers have struggled with decreased readership and lost income over the last few years, TV news stations have found local news a reliable source of income.  Stations now air an average of five and a half hours of local news a day.  Mornings have seen the most increase in news programming, with 71 percent of news directors saying their audience during this time has increased.

In addition, stations added 1,131 jobs to reach total full-time employment of 27, 653. That's a gain of 4.3% over last year and the highest average full-time TV news staff ever.  However, overall, it puts 2011 in second place for total TV news employment.  First place is still held by year 2000.  The average station newsroom employment then was lower than today, but more stations originated local news.   By comparison, newspaper newsroom employment was down 2.4% in 2011 from the previous year.  The American Society of News Editors reported that the total newspaper news staff of 40,600 is at the lowest level in the 35 years that ASNE has been tracking staffing.  Overall, newsroom staff has fallen 28.6% from its high in 1990. 

The full findings of the RTDNA/Hofstra study can be found at the link below.     

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Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution of higher education where more than 12,000 full and part-time students choose from undergraduate and graduate offerings in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education, health and human services, honors studies, a School of Engineering and Applied Science, a School of Law and the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine.

Related Link: Radio Television Digital News Association