Mark Ramsey says (Hear 2.0) his research repeatedly shows that once you get beyond traffic and local sports headlines and weather, "local news" per se is one of the things (radio) listeners – even information listeners – want least.
And that’s fundamentally because information fans tend to be interested in one of two things: What fascinates or entertains them and what impacts them personally. And neither of these things are explicitly "local."
Is this true? Hmm. I’ve lived in Jefferson City for more than 20 years and I don’t know the name of the mayor and have very little interest in what’s going on "locally." Until, of course, something doesn’t work.
I listen to our state news reports on our local affiliate but can’t remember the last time I listened to the "local" newscast. But I’ve always suspected –and hoped– I was the exception.
Sadly, I believe what Ramsey is saying. More and more people are going to the Web for their information that is relevant to them. It’s the same fall out newspapers have been seeing.
I think radio stations who have a history of doing local news will continue, as long as they have corporate financial backing, but they are going to have to make the content more relevant.
There’s a new world order when it comes to information.
I know a lot of radio news directors will fight me on this, but you can’t be doing the same thing over and over again and expect new results (more listeners). That’s insanity.
Morris James