TVNewsCheck

While national news outlets continue to debate the “fake news” controversy, new evidence confirms that consumers are not questioning the veracity of their local television newscasts, sports reports, weather forecasts and traffic updates.

This is according to research released today from Coda that reports the opinions of more than 2,400 television viewers that have watched local news programming across all platforms in the past week. According to the research, viewers believe — and enjoy watching — local news anchors and reporters on television. In addition, Coda says, “local news viewers are tuning in to their most trusted stations for accurate weather forecasts, dependable traffic updates, local sports coverage, breaking news, and even to learn about new products and services.” The Coda data reveal that many viewers watching local broadcast news are also accessing local TV stations’ digital platforms for information about their cities, towns and communities. Almost seven out of ten local news viewers (65%) also access one or more digital platforms for local news, which include local TV station websites, social media, mobile apps, blogs or targeted emails. Local TV station websites top the list, with 40% of viewers consuming local news through this digital platform, followed by social media sites (25%) and local TV station apps (23%).

With Tribune, Sinclair goes from a large collection of TV stations to a national broadcasting platform with ambitions that go far beyond those of the Big Four networks. And that larger footprint, Sinclair figures, will allow it to roll out game-changing innovations including ATSC 3.0, mobile datacasting and targeted interactive advertising. These all have the potential to remake the entire television broadcasting business into a force that can vigorously compete with online and mobile.

[Commentary] Communications attorney Jack Goodman says now that the Federal Communications Commission is focused on deregulation, his wish list includes changes to ownership reports, must carry/retransmission consent elections, children’s programming reports, ancillary services reports and the local public notice rule.

[Jack Goodman practices communications law in Washington]

[Commentary] Well, that was a disappointment. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, who has set himself up as a champion of the First Amendment, failed to stand up for TV news at the Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Sen Tom Udall (D-NM) asked him if he agreed with President Trump's tweet that CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC are "the enemy of the American people." Chairman Pai evaded the question. First, he said, he didn't "want to wade into the larger political debates" and, then, when pressed, said weakly that everybody is entitled to First Amendment protections. Pai's answer should have been simple: "No, Senator, I don't." He did not have to elaborate. Not only would that have assured us that Pai is a thinking man and the free press advocate we believe him to be, it would also have assured us that the Pai FCC will be independent of the White House. Chairman Pai also refused to disclose what was discussed in his meetings with President Trump before his elevation to chairman in January and his re-nomination to another term this week.

[Commentary] President Trump's attacks on the mainstream news media have not only energized them, but have prompted them to work together to plot a common strategy to preserve and expand their First Amendment rights and protections. National and local broadcasters should support this effort, providing money and speaking out.

[Commentary] Sinclair is building a national TV news organization and there is a lot to like about that. Unfortunately, what's emerging is one with a conservative bent. If Sinclair wants to give its stations a push to the right that is certainly its prerogative, but I would hope it would not go that route. There is a better way. ABC, CBS and NBC are fine models — clear, concise, polished newscasts with minimal bias and NO commentary.

[Commentary] Journalism models are changing rapidly. But don’t make the mistake of thinking the craft is dying. At J-schools, students demonstrate the “desire to find out what’s really going on,” and the fact they are anxious “to communicate that through vivid language and strong images, gives me hope for their future, and the future of journalism.”
[Mark Effron, a veteran media executive, teaches at Montclair State University in New Jersey]

[Commentary] What's the likelihood federal regulatory agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission will now be employed in President Donald Trump’s “running war with the media”?

Will the FCC take up its long-retired cudgels and pound the electronic media over the head? It is highly unlikely the Trump White House will contact the FCC in any regard. And, will the FCC take steps anyway to apply and enforce their various rules? Probably not. The FCC rules for broadcasters used to be pretty strict. They fined stations for failing to label "file footage," for instance. Or broadcasting news that they knew was incorrect. "Rigging the news" was one of the worst offenses back then. But now? It's likely to be ignored, isn't it? We think the Trump White House and FCC will follow historical tradition and remain "two ships passing in the dark" and having virtually no contact.

[Robinson is a communications attorney and former FCC official]

Ajit Pai’s promotion to Federal Communications Commission chairman leaves the Republicans with a 2-1 majority at the agency for the foreseeable future, easing the pressure on President Donald Trump to fill the commission’s two vacant commission seats. But the jockeying for Trump’s nod for the additional slots has already begun.

Brandt Hershman, an Indiana state senator who worked closely with Vice President Michael Pence while he was Indiana governor, is the clear favorite for the FCC’s remaining GOP vacancy, industry insiders say. The leading candidate for the agency’s Democratic vacancy appears to be former-FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. “It doesn’t really matter,” said one industry lobbyist as to who eventually gets the nod for the Democratic slot. In the wake of President Trump’s victory, industry insiders are far more interested in the pick for the GOP vacancy than the Democratic seat because it’s the Republican majority that will be calling the shots at the agency, at least for the next four years.