Local TV News Survival Guide: What Newsrooms Must Do Now and Why the Future of the Industry Depends On It

Local TV newsrooms are struggling to reach Millennial and Gen Z news consumers, but journalism experts at Northeastern University believe a new digital role could provide a desperately needed lifeline. For a year, they embedded Digital Content Creators at three top newsrooms (WCBS, WLS, and WCVB) to produce content specifically for the stations’ digital platforms including social media. They also conducted a nationwide study of the media habits of adults 18-34. In this session, Mike Beaudet along with academic and industry partners will share best practices for creating social video to engage younger audiences with their local communities.

Meet the Trainer

Mike Beaudet is a journalism professor at Northeastern University and an investigative reporter at WCVB-TV, Boston’s ABC affiliate. He’s worked in local television news for more than 30 years. Before joining WCVB-TV he was an investigative reporter and anchor at WFXT-TV in Boston. Beaudet has won numerous awards, including 21 New England Emmys and multiple regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. Beaudet’s research at Northeastern focuses on the future of local television news and finding new ways to grow the audience and engage younger viewers where they’re consuming content.