THE FUTURE OF LOCAL NEWS

February 2001
		WBBM-Chicago recently ended its experiment with no-frills, content-driven local news. Is news without fluff stories or flashy graphics a thing of the past? Three experts respond to your questions.

Forum introduction What can viewers do to improve local news quality? Why are there so many remote broadcasts on TV news? Should newspapers monitor local TV quality? Should Marin's broadcast have been given more time? What role should PBS stations play? When will broadcasters return to "broadcasting" rather than "narrow-casting"?     Online Special Changing Local News Online Special Media Watch Feb. 7, 2001: Carol Marin and two analysts on the future of local news. October 31, 2000: Anchor Carol Marin signs off. May 24, 2000 A Chicago newscast chooses facts over fluff. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of the media     Audience Research and Development CBS News The Project for Excellence in Journalism

Paul Schnebelen of Oxnard, California asks: I gave up watching local TV news years ago because I was tired of tuning in and getting nothing but car chases, celebrity gossip, and shameless cross-promotion. Is there anything that we as viewers can do to get better and smarter local news broadcasts, or is our only hope that enough people will finally vote with their off buttons? Will local news keep getting more flashy and entertainment-driven? Carl Gottlieb responds: You've asked the $64,000 question. Indeed, there are things viewers can do aside from "vote by remote." Get involved with the station you watch. Begin a dialogue with station management. Let the news director or general manager know you are concerned with the direction that station might be taking with certain coverage. Don't "demand" -- suggest. If you have a group of friends that watch the same news broadcasts, you can send a group note. KGUN in Tucson, Arizona has started a successful campaign called the "Viewer Bill of Rights" which lets viewers know what rights they have concerning the presentation of news and how they might seek recourse. The strategy is working. KGUN's ratings are up. If all else fails, do vote by remote and tell the station you're doing so and why.   Marty Haag responds: Unfortunately, I think your representation of local news is affected by the market you see. Los Angeles is notorious for its shallowness. There is a preoccupation with helicopter coverage of police chases. I even get an email from one of the Los Angeles stations when a high-speed chase is in progress. In an area as large and complex as Southern California, is this really important? Of course not. You ask if local news will keep getting more flashy and entertainment-driven. The pressure is always on to hike the numbers, but I keep hoping that the broadcast industry will come to its senses when enough viewers -- like you -- just rebel and stop watching. I’m reminded that at one time Bill Paley, chairman of CBS, recommended that one night a week be devoid of ratings so that networks could broadcast meaningful news and special events without worrying about the ratings.   Carol Marin responds: As time consuming as it is, the best way to be heard is to write or e-mail or call the general manager of the station you watch as well as the sponsors of the broadcast and make your views clear. There are so many people who feel as you do who have turned away from local news. Understandably, everyone is busy and has little time to give voice to their discontent. Believe me though, stations do read the mail.