TV: WHERE PEOPLE GO FOR THE NEWS

Local TV remains leading source of news even as online grows

Television remains the most popular choice for national and international news, despite the growth of online news sources. There has been continued expansion of news time on local television, setting a record high in 2010. During that time advertising on local news programs contributed 46.8% of the average station rsquo;s revenue, according to a survey of news directors. Although TV viewership has increased overall, both local morning and late night time slots experienced the most growth in 2011. Americans continue to favor local television with 6 in 10 reported using television programming for their primary news source. Overall, TV viewers are more connected to local news than any other genre. Local news stations are also more likely to attract viewers to online video, surpassing the viewership of both broadcast and cable television online videos. The consistency of local news allows for it to be an effective option for advertising. Local news is more successful with advertisements than any other genre due to the fact that it is trustworthy, advertises products that appeal to the viewer and keeps viewers informed about products and services.