• Mediaweek, Tuesday, March 25, 2008 10 AM

In an attempt to lure advertiser attention back to local TV news in this digital age, Hearst-Argyle Television is set to unveil the results of a study that quantifies the loyalty of local TV news audiences. The company is trying to convince national buyers, as they ready for upfront negotiations, that local news should not take a backseat. It may be a tough sell: National advertisers are moving away from TV and into digital media and one of the biggest, General Motors, says it will shift half its marketing spend to digital.

And a recent Forrester Research survey finds that about half of top marketers plan to cut TV ads by 12% once DVR penetration hits 50% of households -- and 62% of respondents now believe TV ads are less effective. But, "there is a Good Housekeeping seal of approval for goods and services advertised on the trusted local newscast," says Kathleen Keefe, vice president of sales at Hearst-Argyle. "It's like Oprah. It's the face of the local TV personalities that make the advertising proposition more valuable."

Among the Hearst-Argyle commissioned study's findings: Local news is less susceptible to DVRs while TV is still the first source for news and information for half of respondents.

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