Good News: TV salaries beat inflation … but just barely
April 23, 2025 — After making up a fair amount of ground a year ago, the latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey found local TV news salaries held their own and then a little more this past year. Salaries rose by 3.2%, edging ahead of inflation, which hit 2.9% for the year. Salaries were up 7.5% in 2023.
Median — or typical — salaries are the best gauge, and they show that 14 of the 20 newsroom positions tracked are up in salary compared to the 2024 Survey. Only managing editors, news writers and social media producers/editors decreased in salary. News reporter, MMJ and assignment editor salaries all stayed the same. If we look at average salaries, the picture is similar. Most salaries are up, but a few (assistant news directors, reporters, MMJs, graphics/digital managers) are down.
The full TV salary report is available for purchase (free for RTDNA members).
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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.