The Local News Industry's Challenge: Recruiting and Retaining Talent in a Multi-Platform Distribution Environment

Abstract

The rise of digital platforms and the demand for multi-platform content have revolutionized the news industry. Evolving technology has caused a crisis for the local linear broadcast market due to a lack of competitive wages and recruitment of talent. Local news is no longer tied to the traditional linear model and must adapt to a multi-platform distribution model. However, local stations seem tied to short-sighted financial policies that are antithetical to long-term recruitment and retention of top talent. These policies threaten to undermine the industry's own future and create a model that is ultimately unsustainable in tomorrow's competitive business environment. Without current reform, local news outlets are in danger of undermining themselves and destroying the competitiveness of the entire industry.