Fewer Minorities in Local News

The Radio-Television News Directors Association and Hofstra university have released data on the latest survey of the local television newsroom workforce. Minorities comprised 21.8% of local TV news staff in 2009, down from 23.6% last year. Hispanics in local news fell from 10.3% to 8.8% in the past year, while African Americans decreased by a half percentage point. The percentage of minority TV news directors dropped slightly in 2009. Women represent 41.4% of the local news workforce, according to a new study from RTNDA/Hofstra, an all-time high. A full 29.1% of the nation's TV news directors are female, also a record level.