Pew Research Center’s annual State of the News Media report examines the effects of consolidation on the amount of local news audiences receive, reporting that the number of stations producing local news content has dropped 8% since 2005:
A number of television executives and observers say news sharing agreements, driven largely by the wave of station consolidation, offer real benefits for local viewers. For one thing, they say, these agreements make local news available to more viewers by giving them a choice of how it is presented and when to watch it. But critics say that convenience comes at the cost of competition and diversity in news content.
Related: Pew Report Finds Total Value of Station Acquisition Hits 7-Year High
AdvertisementThe overall impact of news sharing is difficult to assess. In some cases, these agreements have reduced the variety of voices and news content available to local viewers; in other cases, they have strengthened quality and enabled underfunded or smaller stations to continue providing news.