Local TV News Audiences Value Quality over Hype

The largest study of local television news ever undertaken bucks the conventional wisdom on what viewers want to watch. Wellesley College's Marion Just, one of the researchers who conducted the five-year study. says the study shows viewers aren't as interested as commonly believed in hyped story lines that emphasize danger, dirt, doom and gloom. She says local TV news could improve ratings by following the rules of good journalism -- putting in the effort to get good stories, finding and balancing sources, seeking out experts, and making stories relevant to the local audience.