Local television newsrooms produced less news in 2025 for the second straight year, with the median weekday output falling a full hour to 5.5 hours, according to the latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey. Weekend production also slipped modestly.
Fox stations were the main exception, reporting higher output, though researchers said that increase likely reflected a lower response rate rather than a real jump in production. The drop continues a multi-year decline visible in survey data going back to 2001 and matches last year’s forecast that newsroom cutbacks would eventually show up in production totals.
Even so, news directors are more optimistic about 2026: 37.7% expect to increase local news output, up from 15% a year ago, and none plan to cut production.
Fewer stations are originating their own local news. That figure fell to 689 from 711 three years ago. Stations rebroadcasting another newsroom’s content also declined, from 422 to 416.
Altogether, 1,105 stations now air local news of any kind, down 12 from last year. NBC, CBS and Univision affiliates accounted for the largest losses in original news production; ABC and Fox affiliates each added one station.
The annual survey, conducted in the fourth quarter of 2025, drew responses from more than 1,100 television stations and nearly 600 radio stations. It is supported by the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and the Radio Television Digital News Association.