The Disconnecting Factors Related to Local and Network Television News Among Generations Y and Z
Authors:   , Dickens Imani Nicole , Ramos Evelyn , McHugh Michelle 
Published: November 2023

Over the past decade, televised news, including local, network and cable news, has experienced a continuous decline in viewership since the start of the new millennium (Barthel, 2018). Data has shown that new emerging technologies and the digital advancement of journalism powered by the Internet has created societal changes in audience viewing habits. The digitalization of local and network spaces in news has changed the traditional framework of journalism and broadcast news reporting. Generation Y and Generation Z are acknowledged for spearheading the adoption of technology and social media for news consumption, and their digital influence is also being embraced by older adults, thus forcing innovation in news to appeal to the changing landscape of mass media. This study will analyze the media systems and journalistic practices among traditional newsrooms to understand the disconnecting factors of televised news consumption among Generations Y and Z. Hybridity is a constant theme that challenges traditional television news's framework, and its exclusion is also the reason why audience viewership ratings continue to decline across all types of TV news. The concept of hybridity is simply defined as the act of bringing contradictory elements together (Bødker, 2017). In this research, interviews were conducted with US news professionals to answer the following three research questions (RQs): 1. Traditional broadcast television news outlets (local and national) exhibit a lack of concern regarding the impact of digital journalism, relying on their high credible authority. 2. News outlets are transferring outdated programming strategies from traditional platforms to digital platforms instead of innovating new solutions, including television schedules, news bulletins, video and packaging style, news anchors, presentation and language style, and limited audience interaction. 3. The lack of interest displayed by traditional broadcast news outlets in appealing to younger audiences will ultimately lead to the decline of local broadcast news. Using a qualitative research method, respondents were asked a series of questions related to newsroom operations. Qualitative research was the most efficient approach to study social relations, biographical patterns among news professionals, and in-depth responses to the inner workings of broadcast television. This type of research is a scientific method of observation to gather non-numerical data, and refers to the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols, and description of things, and not to their counts or measures. This research answers why and how a certain phenomenon may occur rather than how often (Drisko, 2016). This research aided the hypothetical theories addressed in this thesis and provided new information to published works cited in the research. The results proved that a lack of digital innovation was occurring in the newsroom, partially due to the reliance on legacy name and brand, and not due to negligent concerns of digital media's effects on journalism but rather, lack of resources. The results prove that outdated programming and niche news frameworks that only translate well on television are being recycled onto online platforms. The research shows that recycling of news to online is ineffective in reaching younger audiences. On this basis, the concept of hybridity should be seriously embraced and implemented among local, network and cable news when programming content online to reconnect younger audiences to diverse mediums and increase viewership.