The primary objectives of the study, says Frank N. Magid Associates, is to determine the key attributes to be used for television advertising sales based on the performance of local TV news relative to other genres and other media platforms across the following categories:
49% of viewers ranked local TV news first as "... a major part of my daily routine." Broadcast prime time dramas and sitcoms ranked second (47%) followed by:
45% of respondents said they "pay more attention" to local TV news than most other TV genres, while cable news was cited by 39%. 81% cited local TV news as the "most important" news source among local, network broadcast and cable TV news.
The largest number of respondents cited local TV newscasts as being the most effective medium for delivering awareness of products and services advertised during the programming. Local news ranked #1, with 27% of respondents replying that ads during local TV newscasts "keep me in the know with regards to products/services." Informational talk shows, was cited second by 24%.
Local newscasts were considered a better platform to most other TV genres in terms of:
Local TV news is also relatively "DVR-proof," says the study. Only 17% of respondents cited having recorded local TV newscasts for later viewing. 57% said they never, rarely or only sometimes fast-forward through portions of recorded local TV newscasts. By contrast, 69% of respondents said they most of the time or always fast-forward through portions of cable network prime time dramas/movies.
Ads on local TV news websites were found to do a better job than advertisements on most other types of websites in terms of:
Trust Products or Services Advertised During The Type of Program (% Who Watch Genre More Than Twice a Week) | |
Genre | % Reporting "Trust" |
Informational talk shows | 27% |
Entertainment talk shows | 23 |
Local TV news | 18 |
Broadcast network news | 14 |
Broadcast prime time shows | 11 |
Cable news | 11 |
Game shows | 10 |
Frank N Magid Associates, November 2010 |
Advertisements Keep Me In The Know (% Who Watch Genre More Than Twice a Week) | |
Type of Program | Kept Me Knowledgeable |
Local TV news | 27% |
Informational talk shows | 24 |
Entertainment talk shows | 19 |
Broadcast network prime time reality TV | 15 |
Broadcast primetime dramas/sitcoms | 15 |
Frank N Magid Associates, November 2010 |
Purchased a Product as a Result of Ad On Program (% Who Watch Genre More Than Twice a Week) | |
Genre | % Making Purchase |
Informational talk shows | 19% |
Entertainment talk shows | 14 |
Local TV news | 12 |
Cable network | 11 |
Broadcast network prime time reality TV | 10 |
Frank N Magid Associates, November 2010 |
Local TV news ranked 1st among all media platforms when choosing the medium that "is essential to keeping me informed," "is my most important source of information in my community," "is my most important source for weather" and "as a source for political information."
Value of News Source (% of Respondents Ranking "Most Important") | ||
Value | Local TV News | Broadcast Network News |
Essential to keep informed | 65% | 57% |
Most important source of community information | 64 | 34 |
Anchor/News personalities trusted | 50 | 49 |
Good source of information on products/services | 30 | 24 |
Frank N Magid Associates, November 2010 |
The survey included 2,500 local TV news viewers in Hearst Television markets around the country - where local TV news viewers were defined as those who watch local TV news twice or more per week.
For more information and access to the PDF file, please see MediaBuyerPlanner here.
This is not meaningful research, the sample is represented by people who prefer to watch local news - it tells us nothing. Let's sample Coke drinkers and see how they like the taste of Coke!
Mark, I think I understand what you are trying to say, but it is probably actually meaningful research - however it is not representative of the entire population.
It is meaningful if trying to understand just that sub-set of the population of 'local TV news viewers in Hearst markets', and if the findings are kept within that context of that sub-set.
For example, the first paragraph should say something like "...shows that local television news is more effective in engaging LOCAL TELEVISION NEWS viewers' attention to advertising than other TV program genres and competitive media." But then that would seem rather obvious wouldn't it.