Wayne Lynch, former News Director @ Northwest Cable News – @TVMavenSeattle– “It’s been seven years since @Tegna and @Xfinity dropped Northwest Cable News (NWCN) after 21 years of 24/7 news tailored for the entire region. It was a huge loss for the region but inevitable with immediate news on phones…”
Technology and the changing tv news landscape
All true.
Most I know no longer watch or follow local news programming. I haven’t watched a local newscast in years. That said I am also no longer in the coveted 25-54 demo. Very few of the “story tellers” at local channels have any roots locally and rarely stay here for more than a year or two. Local ownership at a major local station is a thing of the past. Today’s news is more “agenda driven” rather than focusing on true journalism. They all use the “correct”/same buzzwords including explosive, bombshell, game changer, fill in the blank_________. As “News” continues it’s transition from true journalism to “Story Telling” expect ratings and viewer ship to decline.
I predict at some point very soon we will be offered AI generated local news as news organizations look to cut even more costs.
TV, AM, Cable, Satellite are out of luck.
FM kinda somewhat still in luck.
24 hour broadcasting is out of luck.
Celebrities are out of luck.
Gaming, social media and podcasts now have most of the audience.
The media as people know it today is about to topple off a cliff, there is almost nothing left.
These days, every local station offers 12+ hours of local news throughout the 24 hour period. How might that dwindle over the coming years as the Internet competes and tv stations consolidate operations?
It may come full-circle… I could easily see the same “local” newscast running on KING, KGW, and KREM someday. Like NWCN, it would be mostly Seattle news with occasional Portland content. The one reporter left in Spokane would get a story in a few times a month. KTVB would get a product from Denver.