Whats Local About Local Broadcasting?
An analysis of a two-week period in late February and early March finds that the answer is “not much.” Broadcasters in five markets chosen to represent conditions in small towns and big cities around the country are providing almost no programming that addresses local issues in the communities they serve. The numbers are staggering: • In the five markets combined, 40 commercial broadcasters provided 13,250 total hours of programming — just 0.35% (46.5 hours) were devoted to local public affairs. • In three markets — Nashville, Tennessee, Spokane, Washington, and Bangor, Maine — not one commercial station aired any local public affairs programming. • 35% of the stations surveyed provide no local news; 25% offer neither local public affairs programming or local news. • A total of two hours of local public affairs programming was available between 6:00pm and midnight, when viewership numbers are highest. Just two stations aired any local public affairs during this time period.
