Reality check: Don’t scoff at the local news
…but if downward trend continues, well that’s another story.
In an article about public relations tips for economists (Marginal Revolution), economists were warned to not ignore local news in favor of more prestigious outlets:
Get over your snobbery about local television news. Remember that the local TV reporter’s gasoline-price story this evening will be seen by 300,000 people. Your op-ed will be read by 20,000, if you are lucky. Your [academic] journal articles will be seriously read by 12.
Wise advice and Marginal Revolution is certainly correct. But for how long? Look at the trend in this graphic which ran in the Los Angeles Times in a story about KCBS’s recent ascension to the top of the 11 pm newscasts:
As someone who has watched KCBS through thick and thin, I’m not surprised that they have moved up. But I TIVO the newscast and then scan for stories that interest me, particularly Johnny Moutain’s weather segment since he has access to that cool 2View Doppler radar. I can usually get through the entire newcast in about 7 minutes. None of this is necessarily a strong foundation for the future of local news.
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June 20th, 2006 at 9:12 am
The local news people are at their best with those hidden camera stories. Beats me why they only trot those out every few months given all the scoundrels in Los Angeles. They actually perform a service AND entertain when they catch rip-off mechanics, dirty restaurant kitchens, or, my favorite, valets helping themselves to the loose change in people’s cars. But I guess that takes too much work. Instead, they will spend five minutes on a live feed from the site where a kid crashed on the way to his prom. Like I want to watch some reporter wax philosophic about the fragility of youth while standing in front of mylar balloons.
June 20th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
Channel 2 News always ends with the lame rap, “We realize you have many choices for news and we thank you for choosing KCBS…” Screw that, you guys are journalists, not flight attendants.