Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Moderator: E.J. Dionne, Jr. Panelist: Justice Antonin Scalia Paul Simon Beth Wilkinson JOHN CARLSON, University of Chicago and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: For those of you who are just joining us, let me recap briefly a bit of the terrain we covered today. This morning we were introduced to several religious […]
The questions that naturally follow are about the future: Do these changes in the news agenda represent some long-term transformation? When the war subsides and the threat against America from terrorism is perceived to be less imminent, will the nightly news and the morning news return to a pre-September 11th definition of normalcy? In short, […]
On September 11th terrorism spurred television news people to do what they do best. Producers suddenly were allowed to create news programs rather than gimmick-filled promotional vehicles. Reporters were asked to cover something important and take care to get it right. The anchor mugging and bon mots largely disappeared. Can it last? Local television news […]
By Carl Gottlieb and Todd Belt Today in local television news few stations are gaining audience. Winning is now a matter of beating the odds. This year, in our sample of 43 stations, 77 percent are suffering ratings declines. In our 1998 study, by comparison, that number was 66 percent, but it has been in […]
It’s becoming clearer, over dozens of stations, thousands of stories, and millions of viewers. There are some things we can demonstrate audiences want. They are characteristics commercially successful stations share – whether this study rates them as good quality stations or bad. They are the things news directors should ask for in their budget meetings, […]
Americans are following the news more closely than they were before Sept. 11, and cable networks such as CNN, MSNBC and Fox News Channel are their first choice for news about terrorist attacks and the war on terrorism. But cable is not the only source Americans are relying upon. Fully 44% say they at least […]
Large media companies are growing more eager to buy television stations. A chain of stations that shares production facilities, marketing strategies, content, and even sales staff will save money and be able to offer advertisers more eyeballs. The FCC is expected to lift the ban on the rule capping any company reaching more than 35 […]
This study was conducted by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, a journalists’ group in Washington, D.C., affiliated with the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Tom Rosenstiel, director of the PEJ, was lead writer. Carl Gottlieb, the deputy director, supervised all aspects of the study. Atiba Pertilla and […]
Introduction and Summary As reports of anthrax attacks dominate the media, the public is paying far greater attention to news of terrorism at home than to the war in Afghanistan. Interest in terrorist attacks is now running as high as during the early days after Sept. 11 – fully 78% are following news of terrorism […]
By Lee Ann Brady and Atiba Pertilla When you look at the numbers, it is difficult to conclude that local television news gives citizens the information they need to make informed decisions about their communities. Consider this statistic: one has to add up all the educators, school board members, city council members, mayors, state agency […]