Local Broadcast Newsroom Survey

The RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Newsroom Survey is the only comprehensive annual research of radio and television newsrooms, providing unique insight into staffing, salaries, business operations and how local broadcast news is surviving in a pandemic-driven, digital world. Local broadcast news is a fiercely competitive business – local TV and radio newsroom managers need to know what their competition is trying and to stay ahead of trends. These informed insights into the broadcast business are only found here – at RTDNA.

2021 Reports:

Reinventing Local TV News: The Case for Video Innovation and Animation
Ongoing research at Northeastern University examines the gap between TV news practice and possibility.

2020 Reports:

Special edition: First look at COVID impacts on local TV

News Business: Trends and Threats

Newsroom Diversity

News Innovation: Digital and Technology Trends

Newsroom Staffing and Hiring

Newsroom Salaries

Prior year reports

About the Survey
The RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2020 among all 1,762 operating, non-satellite television stations and a random sample of 3,379 radio stations. Valid responses came from as many as 1,358 television stations (77.1%) and 765 radio news directors and general managers representing 2,310 radio stations. Some data sets (e.g. the number of TV stations originating local news, getting it from others and women TV news directors) are based on a complete census and are not projected from a smaller sample.

About Bob
Bob Papper is Adjunct Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and has worked extensively in radio and TV news. He has headed the annual Survey for more than 25 years. Our thanks to Bob for his dedication and uncanny ability to hold a quarter-century of local news trends in his head and recount them with ease.