Radio stations are increasingly committing to Local News, according to the latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey.
The report shows 70.5% of all Radio stations surveyed say they are airing Local News, marking a second straight year of growth and a 6.3% increase compared to last year.
While AM stations still lead in Local News output, FM stations are catching up quickly. The percentage of FM stations running Local News rose nearly 3 points over the past year—outpacing AM’s rate of growth. That momentum suggests a broader industry trend toward strengthening local coverage, regardless of frequency.
Commercial stations, in particular, showed a significant surge. 75.3% of commercial stations now produce Local News, up from 65% a year ago—a jump of more than 10 percentage points. Non-commercial stations, on the other hand, declined slightly for the second consecutive year, dropping from 60.7% to 60%. That’s a minor decrease, but still notable when viewed alongside last year’s 10% drop.
The RTDNA noted that digital sub-channels might be a factor in these shifting dynamics. However, this year’s more stable numbers could indicate the market is adjusting to that influence.
Locally owned Radio stations also continue to outpace their corporate counterparts in news production. This year, 71.4% of locally owned outlets reported running Local News, compared to 66.7% of non-locally owned stations.
The gap is relatively narrow, but consistent with last year’s results—suggesting a developing trend where independent stations are increasingly stepping up in local journalism.
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