Despite revenue from political ads and fees paid by cable and other companies to carry their programming, the picture for local TV newsrooms is a mixed one.
At a time when ordinary citizens are increasingly functioning as on-scene reporters, nearly three-quarters (72%) of that amateur content that aired on these television outlets was not identified as such.
The ascension of Dean Baquetโthe first African-American to run the paperโs newsroomโhas renewed the focus on minority hiring in the news industry.
Media companies have dramatically expanding their local television holdings in recent years. Five companies own one-third of the about 1,400 local TV stations in the country.
In many ways, 2013 and early 2014 brought a level of energy to the news industry not seen for a long time. Even as challenges of the past several years continue and new ones emerge, the activities this year have created a new sense of optimism โ or perhaps hope โ for the future of American journalism.
Online video is clearly becoming a part of the news media landscape. News is a part of what people watch online, and, more than ever, the public is a part of creating this news. But advertising and revenue opportunities, while they exist, are complicated.
Americans are growing more attached to modern digital technologies, such as cellphones and the internet, and less attached to traditional hardware, such as landline phones and televisions.