[Commentary] Barrington Broadcasting and Granite Broadcasting have merged their operations in some television markets. The result -- Syracuse (NY)(DMA 81) and Peoria (IL) (DMA 116) -- is the loss of local TV news outlets. The Barrington-Granite deal wasn't driven by a desire to generate more and better news stories. It was done simply to save money for two companies that have been struggling financially. The evidence is the 70 or so broadcasters at the two stations who found themselves suddenly among the swelling ranks of America's unemployed on Tuesday. The trend and the lesson are clear: Small TV markets aren't big enough anymore for three or four independent news operations. Syracuse and Peoria now each have two. If you aren't No. 1 or No. 2 in the sweeps and your parent company is being badgered by lenders (many companies are), you just might come to work one day only to be told to pack it up.
