We’ve written many times here on Lost Remote about the trend in local news to cut back on anchors who make up a disproportionate chunk of the budget. The NYTimes’ Brian Stelter has a story on it today, which brings together the financial reality as well as the perspective from a few anchors who are getting the boot. Personally, as I’ve written before, anchors serve a tremendous value as viewer guides in a linear world, but the news media is quickly moving to a non-linear environment where anchor value doesn’t translate. I think single news anchors (doubling up with the weather anchor) will be the norm in the next two to three years, largely out of necessity. That is, unless current anchors and their agents understand the new reality and dramatically flex their salaries accordingly. Because when you’re faced with a decision between cutting an anchor or several reporters and photographers, that’s a no-brainer — it’s coverage, not packaging, that matters most in local news.
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