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Television ownership groups are planning bold steps to stave off real concerns that they can be fiscally sound as a business model over the next five to seven years — that’s the buzz I am hearing from leadership circles. In the meantime, the industry is buzzing about the growing popularity of local influencers. While the corporate HQs figure out how to make local news viable long term, you should focus on more local stories to make local advertising more appealing so you get the ad revenue, not the influencers. More local content can mean keeping your newsroom around longer.
In specific topics, news influencers showcase what’s happening in local communities more than local news. TV stations are doing too much national news. We all know why. The feeds make it easy to plop in a national package on a consumer or health issue, especially during morning newscasts. It’s time to build an infrastructure in local newsrooms to make those a last resort instead of a designated slot in rundowns every day.
In a recent column, I explained the importance of structuring editorial meetings so journalists can find and cover local news more easily. It’s time to implement the strategies it outlines. Then, start working on adding more local content to your newscasts because you are finding more of it.
Let’s take some ideas from the influencer playbook. Most of them cover local business openings and closings. Having an infotainment paid show in the late morning is not a replacement for covering local business