TV short on campaign news
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More than half of the top-rated local newscasts ran no campaign stories in the seven weeks leading up to last year’s midterm congressional elections, according to a report released Wednesday by USC’s Lear Center Local News Archive. The study was released the same day that the House of Representatives voted to reverse a recent Federal Communications Commission decision relaxing media ownership rules.
The study also criticized local TV stations for running nearly four campaign ads for each campaign news story. Of the stories, 48% were devoted to the “horse race” aspect.
The report monitored more than 10,000 half-hour evening news broadcasts on 122 stations in the top 50 media markets during the seven weeks leading up to election day. Among those selected were KABC Channel 7, KTTV Fox 11 and KCBS Channel 2, three of the four highest-rated local stations.
All three ranked in the middle third in number of campaign stories and percentage of time devoted to coverage.
Representatives of the three stations declined to comment.
-- Greg Braxton
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