Media ownership regulations and local news programming on broadcast television: An empirical analysis

This study analyzes the provision of local news programming on local television and its relation with station ownership characteristics and market conditions. The results show that station financial strength and market competition have a significant, positive relation with the quantity of local news programming. However, there is little evidence that ownership characteristics (e.g., duopoly ownership and ownership by one of the big 4 broadcast networks) contribute to local news production. The findings call into question one of the underlying rationales of the Federal Communication Commission's current policies toward more relaxed national and multiple ownership rules. © 2007 Broadcast Education Association.

Duke Scholars

Author Philip Michael Napoli Sanford School of Public Policy