There is nothing new about criticism of local television news. It’s been a target for ages because of its almost exclusive focus on viewer ratings, resulting in an emphasis on soft issues, expensive technology, and sensationalist stories. For the most part, there was and still is a lack of attention on political issues - ask Chicago or Milwaukee - and more generally, to issues of substance that affect the overall community.

That’s a shame because the local TV news has always had the potential to be an important and effective tool for participatory democracy and the exercise of free speech. It could be a real outlet for communities and individuals to have a voice on issues that matter to them, but as most of us who watch the local news already know, this is usually not the case. Results of numerous research have shown time and again that local broadcasting typically adds little to community integration or to effective local contribution to either political or economic issues. Why? Because of the maxim, “if it bleeds it leads,” – the long-established rule that local broadcasters showcase sensationalist and violent stories rather than focus on issues of genuine substance.

We can only hope that local news broadcasters have taken the time take a long, hard look at a 2004 study entitled “Is Quality a Choice?” The results of this well-developed study make a good case for throwing out the “if it bleeds” motto and substituting in its place quality journalism and meaningful content. According to the study, local newscasts that focused on quality journalism often fared better than newscasts that emphasized soft news. If you would like to read more about the study, click here.