Remote Delivery of Local TV News

Abstract

Outsourcing of local broadcast news, fueled by technology and industry economics, is a reality in a number of markets around the United States. Contrasted with the trend toward the “hyperlocal” in newspapers and websites, remote delivery produces newscasts for communities at great distance from the source. Under a framework of localism, this study examines the implications of such a delivery system for communities served, using a content analysis in six television markets—markets as large as Omaha, Nebraska. Using a data set of more than 1,000 stories, the study analyzes how local the outsourced newscasts really are. With local TV news still ranked the most used information source in the United States, how much local information outsourced broadcasts offer viewers is a significant topic to scrutinize.