Amount of local news stays steady – for a change

July 21, 2025 — After years of record amounts of local news, the latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey shows essentially no change in the amount of local news. The average amount of news actually slipped by 12 minutes per weekday, but the median remained the same at 6.5 per weekday. Saturday’s average dropped by six minutes, and Sunday’s average increased by the same amount, but the median for both remained two hours.

The latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey found that the number of TV stations originating local news dropped from 711 two years ago to 697 last year to 695 today. After consolidation came a measure of stability, but we’re back on a downward trend again. This time, it’s not consolidation; it’s simply stations dropping local news. 

Meanwhile — likely not a coincidence — the number of stations receiving local news from one of those 695 news operations rose to 422, up from 414 last year and 402 the year before. That upward trend has continued steadily. So the total number of stations running local news actually rose from last year’s 1,111 to this year’s 1,117. 

The full TV news report is available for purchase (free for RTDNA members).

Read the Full Report

About the Authors

Bob Papper is Research Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University and has worked extensively in radio and TV news. 

Keren Henderson is Associate Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University and has worked as a news producer and video editor. 

Tim Mirabito is Assistant Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University and worked in television, radio, print and online media. 

This research was supported by the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and the Radio Television Digital News Association.

About the Survey
The RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2024 among 1,918 operating, non-satellite television stations and a random sample of 4,763 radio stations. The television response rate is different for every question, but valid responses came from as many as 1,406 television stations (73.3%) and 599 radio news directors and general managers representing 1,632 radio stations. Some data sets (e.g. the number of TV stations originating local news, getting news from others and women TV news directors) are based on a complete census and are not projected from a smaller sample.