In an era of endless streaming options, you might be surprised to learn that in 2023, local television stations were watched in 93% of American households during evening news, proving they remain an incredibly powerful and resilient force in the media landscape.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, local TV stations in the US collectively reached 93% of television households during evening news, marking a 2% increase from 2022
- Local TV news viewership among adults 25-54 averaged 1.2 million viewers per day in Q4 2023, up 5% year-over-year
- 72% of Americans watched local TV news at least once a week in 2023, with urban markets showing 78% penetration
- Local TV stations generated $22.5 billion in total revenue in 2023, up 4% from 2022
- Political advertising accounted for $3.8 billion of local TV revenue in 2023
- Retransmission consent fees reached $4.2 billion for local stations in 2023
- Local TV stations employed 28,500 full-time journalists in 2023, down 2% YoY
- Average salary for local TV news directors was $142,000 in 2023
- 62% of local TV stations operated with 10 or fewer reporters in 2023
- Local TV stations spent $18.7 billion on national spot advertising in 2023
- CPM for local TV news slots averaged $25.40 in top markets 2023
- 28% of local TV ad inventory sold to direct response advertisers in 2023
- 85% of local TV stations adopted ATSC 3.0 for better ad targeting by end 2023
- 62% of local TV households had smart TVs capable of NextGen TV in 2023
- Local TV OTT app downloads reached 120 million in 2023
Despite challenges, the local TV industry shows strong viewer engagement and diverse revenue growth.
Advertising Data
- Local TV stations spent $18.7 billion on national spot advertising in 2023
- CPM for local TV news slots averaged $25.40 in top markets 2023
- 28% of local TV ad inventory sold to direct response advertisers in 2023
- Political ad airings on local TV totaled 2.1 million in Q4 2023
- Local TV digital display ads reached 1.2 billion impressions monthly in 2023
- 65% of local TV pharma ads were for Medicare plans in 2023
- Addressable TV ad spend on local stations hit $800 million in 2023
- Local TV auto dealer ads aired 450,000 times weekly average in 2023
- 42% uplift in ROI for local TV vs digital per advertiser survey 2023
- Hispanic-targeted local TV ads grew 14% in spend to $1.4 billion 2023
- Local TV connected TV (CTV) ad impressions: 500 billion in 2023
- Average local TV ad pod length was 2:15 minutes in 2023
- Legal services ads comprised 8% of local TV ad time in 2023
- Local TV programmatic ad revenue: $650 million in 2023
- 72% of local stations offered dynamic ad insertion in 2023
- Fast food chains spent $1.1 billion on local TV ads 2023
- Local TV ad attribution improved 30% with cross-platform tracking in 2023
- 55 million households targeted via local TV addressable ads in 2023
- Travel industry local TV ad spend rebounded 20% to $420 million 2023
- Local TV news ad rates rose 11% during elections in 2023
- Beverage ads on local TV totaled $580 million in sports programming 2023
- 38% of local TV ads were 15-second spots in 2023
- Insurance category dominated local TV with $2.3 billion spend 2023
- Local TV over-the-air (OTA) ad share was 65% of total in 2023
- E-commerce brands increased local TV spend by 25% to $350 million 2023
Advertising Data Interpretation
While some may declare television a relic, the $18.7 billion marketers just spent on local airtime, with its potent 42% ROI lift and precise targeting of 55 million households, suggests the humble commercial break is having a remarkably sophisticated and lucrative encore.
Employment and Operations
- Local TV stations employed 28,500 full-time journalists in 2023, down 2% YoY
- Average salary for local TV news directors was $142,000 in 2023
- 62% of local TV stations operated with 10 or fewer reporters in 2023
- Local TV engineering staff numbered 15,200 across US in 2023
- Women held 45% of local TV news anchor positions in 2023, up from 40% in 2020
- Local TV sales teams averaged 12 staff per station in mid-sized markets 2023
- 78% of local TV general managers had 15+ years experience in 2023
- Minority journalists comprised 22% of local TV newsrooms in 2023
- Local TV production crews totaled 42,000 workers in 2023
- Average tenure for local TV meteorologists was 8.7 years in 2023
- 35% of local TV stations outsourced master control in 2023
- Local TV digital content creators numbered 9,800 in 2023, up 15%
- Sports directors at local TV averaged $95,000 salary in 2023
- 52% of local TV stations had dedicated social media teams in 2023
- Local TV assignment editors saw 5% staff reduction in 2023
- Average local TV promotion manager salary was $112,500 in 2023
- 68% of local TV stations used freelancers for 20% of content in 2023
- Local TV traffic coordinators totaled 7,200 roles in 2023
- Chief engineers at local TV earned average $165,000 in 2023
- 41% turnover rate for local TV reporters under 5 years experience in 2023
- Local TV community affairs directors: 1,100 employed in 2023
- Weekend anchor positions filled by part-timers at 55% of stations in 2023
- Local TV IT staff grew 18% to 12,500 in 2023
- Average age of local TV news staff was 42.3 years in 2023
- Local TV ad sales revenue per rep averaged $1.2 million in 2023
- Graphic artists in local TV newsrooms: 5,400 full-time in 2023
Employment and Operations Interpretation
The local TV industry is a paradox of thinning newsrooms and rising digital teams, where veteran managers oversee a stressed, youthful reporting corps that's both shrinking in number and slowly diversifying, all while the technical backbone grows more expensive and essential.
Revenue Statistics
- Local TV stations generated $22.5 billion in total revenue in 2023, up 4% from 2022
- Political advertising accounted for $3.8 billion of local TV revenue in 2023
- Retransmission consent fees reached $4.2 billion for local stations in 2023
- Local TV spot advertising revenue grew 6% to $7.1 billion in 2023
- Digital revenue from local TV websites and apps hit $1.9 billion in 2023
- Top 10 market local stations earned 35% of total industry revenue in 2023
- Syndication revenue for local TV was $2.3 billion in 2023, stable YoY
- Local TV network compensation fees increased 8% to $3.5 billion in 2023
- Automotive category spent $1.2 billion on local TV ads in 2023
- Small market stations saw 12% revenue growth from digital in 2023
- Local TV profit margins averaged 28% in 2023 for publicly traded groups
- Home improvement ads generated $850 million for local TV in 2023
- 45% of local TV revenue came from top 50 advertisers in 2023
- Local TV M&A activity totaled $1.1 billion in deals in 2023
- Streaming affiliate revenue for local TV reached $450 million in 2023
- Financial services ads contributed $650 million to local TV in 2023
- Local TV stations' average revenue per station was $18.4 million in 2023
- Pharmacy ad spend on local TV was $720 million in 2023
- Digital video ad revenue for local TV grew 22% to $1.1 billion in 2023
- Local TV group debt levels averaged $5.2 billion industry-wide in 2023
- Telecom ads accounted for $950 million in local TV revenue 2023
- Local TV event sponsorships generated $320 million in 2023
- Retail category local TV ad spend rose 9% to $1.8 billion in 2023
Revenue Statistics Interpretation
Local TV’s business model has become a case study in healthy adaptation, as evidenced by its 4% overall revenue growth—fueled not only by the reliable cash cows of political storms ($3.8B) and retransmission fees ($4.2B) but also by a promising digital awakening ($1.9B, with a 22% surge in video), all while maintaining plump 28% profit margins.
Technological Adoption
- 85% of local TV stations adopted ATSC 3.0 for better ad targeting by end 2023
- 62% of local TV households had smart TVs capable of NextGen TV in 2023
- Local TV OTT app downloads reached 120 million in 2023
- 47% of local stations implemented IP-based production workflows in 2023
- Cloud storage usage in local TV newsrooms grew to 75% in 2023
- 4K broadcasting launched on 35 local TV stations in 2023 via ATSC 3.0
- AI-driven news personalization adopted by 52% of local TV digital platforms 2023
- Local TV drone usage for news gathering up 40% to 1,200 units in 2023
- 68% of local stations integrated live streaming with main broadcast in 2023
- VR content production trialed by 22 local TV stations in 2023
- 91% of local TV master controls automated in 2023
- Local TV cybersecurity incidents down 15% due to new protocols in 2023
- 5G field production units deployed at 310 local stations in 2023
- Interactive TV apps launched on 45% of local multicast channels 2023
- Machine learning for audience analytics used by 70% local TV groups 2023
- Local TV antenna signal boosters sold 2.5 million units in 2023
- Blockchain for content rights management piloted by 12 local groups 2023
- 58% of local TV news used AR graphics daily in 2023
- Edge computing for low-latency streaming at 65 local stations 2023
- Local TV eSports broadcasting grew with 28 affiliates in 2023
- Quantum dot displays in local TV studios: 40% upgrade rate 2023
- 76% local TV websites optimized for voice search in 2023
- Holographic weather tech tested by 15 local stations in 2023
- Local TV NFT collectibles for viewers launched by 8 stations 2023
- 82% of local TV signals now HDR-capable via ATSC 3.0 pilots 2023
- Robotic cameras in 55% of local TV studios by end 2023
- Local TV industry invested $1.2 billion in tech upgrades in 2023
- Biometric audience measurement trialed by Nielsen on 20 local markets 2023
- Local TV metaverse events hosted by 10 stations in 2023
Technological Adoption Interpretation
Local TV stations, in a flurry of high-tech one-upmanship, spent 2023 feverishly wiring themselves from the cloud to the curb, betting that dazzling viewers with drone shots and holograms will make them forget they're being perfectly targeted by ads beamed from their own smart TVs.
Viewership Metrics
- In 2023, local TV stations in the US collectively reached 93% of television households during evening news, marking a 2% increase from 2022
- Local TV news viewership among adults 25-54 averaged 1.2 million viewers per day in Q4 2023, up 5% year-over-year
- 72% of Americans watched local TV news at least once a week in 2023, with urban markets showing 78% penetration
- During the 2023 Super Bowl lead-ins, local affiliates saw a 15% spike in viewership averaging 25 million households nationally
- Hispanic viewers tuned into local Spanish-language TV at a rate of 85% household penetration in top markets like Miami in 2023
- Local TV election coverage in 2022 midterm elections drew 45 million unique viewers across 210 markets
- Weekend morning local news programs averaged 4.1 rating among persons 18-49 in 2023, a 3% YoY gain
- In rural areas, local TV penetration reached 98% of households in 2023, compared to 88% streaming-only
- Local TV sports programming viewership grew 12% in 2023, with NBA affiliates leading at 8.2 million average viewers
- Women over 55 comprised 42% of local TV news daytime audience in 2023
- Local TV prime time share among cord-cutters was 28% in 2023, up from 22% in 2021
- In 2023, top 20 DMAs saw local news ratings increase by 7% during severe weather events
- African American viewership for local TV news stood at 68% weekly in 2023
- Local TV holiday specials averaged 12.5 million viewers in December 2023 across major markets
- Mobile viewing of local TV apps reached 15 million sessions per month in 2023
- Seniors 65+ watched local TV 4.2 hours daily on average in 2023
- Local TV late-night shows gained 9% in household ratings in 2023
- During 2023 natural disasters, local TV viewership surged 35% in affected markets
- Gen Z local TV viewership via OTT platforms hit 22% in 2023
- Local TV morning shows averaged 2.8 million viewers nationally in 2023
- 55% of parents with children under 12 watched local kids programming weekly in 2023
- Local TV viewership in battleground states rose 18% during 2024 primaries prep in 2023
- Asian American households tuned to local ethnic TV at 76% rate in 2023
- Local TV share of total TV usage was 42% in Q1 2024
- Evening local news in small markets averaged 15.2 rating in 2023
- Live event coverage on local TV drew 28 million concurrent viewers peak in 2023
- Local TV digital viewership grew 25% to 50 million monthly uniques in 2023
- Households with local TV antenna use increased to 19% in 2023
- Local TV news podcasts reached 10 million downloads in 2023
- Prime access local syndication averaged 3.5 share in 2023
Viewership Metrics Interpretation
Despite the relentless drumbeat of their digital demise, local TV stations have stubbornly remained America's most reliable town crier, from delivering Super Bowl-sized audiences and life-saving weather alerts to capturing the hearts of cord-cutters and commanding the loyalty of nearly every rural household.
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