If you want to boost ratings, helicopters won't do it. Hiring more skilled people will. This is one of the discoveries about managing resources contained in this year's study of local TV news. We sent detailed questionnaires about policies and pressures to all 59 stations and then compared the results to the content and ratings data to see what kind of management practices yield both quality and ratings success. News directors widely agree on what constitutes quality local TV, but say lack of staffing, time, and budget pressures get in the way.
None require less.
Every city studied is represented in the survey results. The news directors offered virtually the same definition as the Project's Design Team about what constituted a good local newscast. We know it best, not some consultant. News directors also thought newscasts must be relevant, accurate and fair.