A movie about a local TV news team anchored by Ron Burgundy, becomes a hit. Did the writers really have to stretch their imagination in order to come up with bits for this Will Farrell flick? Not likely. For fodder, they just turned on the local newscast of Anytown USA.

Local TV news; Change or wither. Andrew Hayward, former president of CBS News, shared his thoughts about local TV news, and he pulled no punches. You don’t have to be a mind reader to pick up his vibe……. it better change, or it’s doomed. Here’s what I gleaned up from his speech via an article in a Louisville newspaper. Read the entire article by Rick Redding here.

• Local stations focus too much on crime/murder, since it’s easier to do and video friendly.
• Viewership is shrinking, blood ‘n’ guts stories aren’t relevant to audience.
• Breaking News Alerts …..sensationalizes events that aren’t really news.
• Local, linear newscasts: no longer needed in a world of unlimited, on-demand news choices.
• Nobody under 40 is watching the local anchor. They don’t even know his name.

Some steps to fix it:

• Hire journalists with a different look, who have roots in the community.
• Hire more of those with an expertise in a specific topic or category.
• Don’t always hire a model with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. Instead, consider hiring a less-qualified local with less-polished look, and give new hire the freedom to find humor in news stories.
• Get more VJ’s on the street. (video journalists). Capture more local video with substance.
• See Online as real-time 24/7 newscast, NOT a dumping ground for stale packages from last night’s 11pm cast.

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