The audience for local news overall is on the rise and the demand has stations adding newscasts at new times and across additional platforms including digital sub-channels.

• Total news airtime has increased +20% over the past 5 years
• Stations are drawing larger share of the ‘news’ pie
• Growth is in Late News and Early Morning
• Studies have shown that in many markets, network broadcast news out-delivers network cable, and in local markets, local broadcast news out-delivers both network broadcast and cable.

In D.C., network broadcast beats network cable by 264%. Local late news out-delivers network broadcast by +55%, and network cable by +500% in aggregate RA25-54. (TVB analysis of Nielsen ratings 2012 – Net cable stations (6p-12M).

News viewership increased 70% from 4:30am-5am in the past 3 years.

The demand has resulted in more newscasts at 4pm in place of syndication, and at 7pm as an alternative for working adults.

Stations such as the WCBS and WNBC are now offering 24-hour news on D-2 channels.

Despite the growth in options, studies continue to show that local broadcast news is the top choice for news and information both on air and online across key demographic groups.

Local stations are beginning to combine strength to serve larger audiences. An example
Nexstar stations across four DMA’s in Arkansas are combining resources and creating an extensive news platform for the first daily statewide newscast.

Read the full local media report from TVB here.