Bethesda, MD
301-664-6448

Atlanta, GA
404-846-6850

TWO-THIRDS OF RADIO NEWSROOMS IMPACTED BY THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

~ 88% of stations report that they no longer have reporters dedicated to covering specific beats ~

Contact: Lynn Harris Medcalf, 404-846-6850

Bethesda, MD – April 2, 2009 – While increased layoffs may be on the minds of many this spring because of the slumping economy, radio newsrooms will also have cause for a similar concern – cutbacks.  A recent survey conducted of radio newsrooms in the top-50 markets reveals that 66% of radio stations report that their station has been affected by the economic downturn. 

Of those experiencing the impact of the tough economy, nearly 70% say they have to layoff workers, cut their staff size, while more than 15% of stations say they have to do more with less.  Along with the cutback trend, more than 88% of stations report that they no longer have reporters dedicated to covering specific beats.  In fact, of the six stations reporting that they still have beat reporters, half of those reporters are business/economic reporters who are undoubtedly covering the current economic turmoil.

The consolidation of station management, coupled with industry trends toward local news and streamlined program decision-making, translates into even less time for reporters to go after stories and spokespeople.  With cutbacks becoming more common, 42% of newsrooms say they are more reliant on outside sources to get news on the air. 

With reporters doing more with less, those with strong storylines to pitch may have more opportunity to get their news on the air, but that doesn’t mean that stations have become less discriminating.  Focusing on the core messages, and delivering what listeners want most, people pitching stories to radio can achieve remarkable results by listening to what stations want and tailoring their pitch accordingly.

When asked what other elements newsrooms look for in stories, local angles and local spokespeople for interviews were mentioned by more than half of stations as being very important to getting a story on the air, followed by the impact of economic issues in their local community as the second most relevant element of a story.  Further, the survey indicates that 28% of stations said their stations no longer have time for features, with their stations covering hard-hitting, current news stories. 

News Generation, Inc. is an award-winning public relations services firm specializing in radio.  Founded in 1997, the company specializes in utilizing radio techniques, such as radio media tours and audio news releases, to secure earned placements for corporations, associations, non-profits and clients of public relations firms.  For more information, visit www.newsgeneration.com.

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