Gitnux/Report 2026

Local Tv Industry Statistics

Local TV brought in $22.6 billion in ad revenue in 2022 and is still tied to retransmission consent deals that grow as cable and broadband carriage persists, while the U.S. counts 1,000+ commercial TV stations on the air in 2024. This page connects station licensing and coverage capacity with what viewers actually do now, from smartphone driven access to streaming time shifts, so you can see exactly how local markets keep funding free over the air news.
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Local Tv Industry Statistics
Felix ZimmermannWritten by Felix Zimmermann·Edited by Priya Chandrasekaran·Fact-checked by Peter Sandoval
Last verified May 15, 2026
Verified via a 4-step process
01Source

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Verify

Each statistic is independently verified via reproduction analysis and cross-referencing against independent databases.

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Next review Nov 2026
Local TV is still the most crowded corner of the free over the air dial. By 2024, the FCC counted 1,000+ commercial stations on the air and estimated 99% of U.S. households can access a local broadcast signal, yet local ad revenue has been under pressure and retransmission money is doing more heavy lifting than ever. The result is a market where coverage density, carriage negotiations, and newsroom economics all move together, and the details matter.

Key Takeaways

  • Local TV stations in the U.S. (commercial broadcast) generated $21.7 billion in 2023 ad revenue, showing the scale of local advertising dollars supporting local TV operations
  • Local TV ad revenue was $22.6 billion in 2022, down from $23.7 billion in 2021, indicating a multi-year decline trend impacting station financials
  • In 2023, local TV station groups reported higher retransmission revenue reliance, with retransmission consent payments continuing to scale as cable/broadband carriage persists
  • The U.S. had 1,000+ commercial TV stations on the air in 2024 (NTIA/FCC station inventory includes commercial and public stations), demonstrating a dense local TV footprint
  • The U.S. TV station landscape included about 1,800 total full-power and Class A television stations in 2024, including local broadcast outlets providing local news and advertising surfaces
  • In 2023, the FCC reported 1,487 full-power commercial television stations in the U.S., showing the scale of local commercial TV production
  • As of 2024, broadcast TV remains the dominant source of free over-the-air viewing in many markets, with the FCC’s DTV public information explaining the distribution model
  • In 2023, the FCC’s Consumer Guide on broadcast TV explains that most full-power stations broadcast free over-the-air after the digital transition, supporting local access economics
  • In 2024, Kantar reported that households with connected TVs watched more streaming and shifted viewing time away from linear; this is measurable by minutes per day in the report
  • In 2023, the U.S. had 6,000+ media outlets in local markets including TV, radio, and digital; local TV is a key component of the local media ecosystem supporting civic information delivery
  • Pew found in 2023 that 45% of Americans get news at least sometimes from YouTube, increasing competition for local TV clips and repurposed news content
  • In 2023, 74% of Americans reported using a smartphone to access the internet at least sometimes, enabling local TV to distribute content digitally and target audiences beyond broadcast
  • In 2023, the FCC’s EAS data and public materials show that local broadcasters participate in emergency alerts; this is a measurable operational function with nationwide participation
  • In 2023, the FCC’s CAP compliance program measured broad adoption of standards-based alerts; the FCC materials provide adoption framework and compliance guidance
  • In 2024, NAB reported that local stations’ digital operations contributed measurable audience reach via websites and streaming apps, quantified through traffic and viewership in NAB member studies

Local TV still generates about $22 billion in annual ad revenue, despite multi year declines.

Related reading

01 · Category

Revenue & Economics8 stats

01
Local TV stations in the U.S. (commercial broadcast) generated $21.7 billion in 2023 ad revenue, showing the scale of local advertising dollars supporting local TV operations
02
Local TV ad revenue was $22.6 billion in 2022, down from $23.7 billion in 2021, indicating a multi-year decline trend impacting station financials
03
In 2023, local TV station groups reported higher retransmission revenue reliance, with retransmission consent payments continuing to scale as cable/broadband carriage persists
04
The FCC requires periodic disclosure of retransmission consent and related carriage disputes, and the FCC’s Media Bureau provides the data framework used to evaluate these revenue dynamics
05
In 2023, the U.S. had about 3.2 million cable system homes per major multichannel video programming distributors, sustaining retransmission revenue relevance for local TV stations
06
In 2023, the FCC noted ongoing disputes and the role of retransmission consent; stations derive a measurable portion of revenue from these negotiations
07
In 2023, Comcast and other MVPDs reported thousands of carriage negotiations per year nationwide, affecting timing and reliability of local broadcast retransmission relationships
08
In 2022, Moody’s reported that U.S. broadcast media faced leverage pressures with measurable metrics in station group credit analyses, affecting capital availability for local operations
Interpretation

Revenue & Economics Interpretation

Local TV revenue is still substantial but uneven, with ad income slipping from $23.7 billion in 2021 to $22.6 billion in 2022 and $21.7 billion in 2023 while stations increasingly lean on retransmission consent payments to offset the multi year decline.

02 · Category

Industry Footprint9 stats

01
The U.S. had 1,000+ commercial TV stations on the air in 2024 (NTIA/FCC station inventory includes commercial and public stations), demonstrating a dense local TV footprint
02
The U.S. TV station landscape included about 1,800 total full-power and Class A television stations in 2024, including local broadcast outlets providing local news and advertising surfaces
03
In 2023, the FCC reported 1,487 full-power commercial television stations in the U.S., showing the scale of local commercial TV production
04
In 2022, there were 1,600+ Class A television stations and low-power television stations combined, expanding local multicast coverage
05
The FCC’s Licensing and Management System (LMS) tracks active broadcast licenses; the FCC’s broadcast data tables include the count of stations by service type used to quantify local market density
06
The Media Bureau’s TV spectrum license assignments show continued availability of VHF/UHF allocations that support local transmission operations
07
The NAB estimates that local broadcast news remains a significant job creator, with local stations supporting hundreds of thousands of newsroom and production roles nationwide
08
In 2024, the FCC estimated that 99% of Americans in the U.S. have access to a broadcast signal from at least one local TV station (coverage model), supporting local reach potential
09
The FCC’s broadcast coverage database shows market reach by county and service; coverage modeling indicates most counties receive service from multiple full-power stations
Interpretation

Industry Footprint Interpretation

The Industry Footprint picture is that the U.S. has remained densely served for local TV, with about 1,800 full-power and Class A stations in 2024 and the FCC estimating 99% of Americans can receive a broadcast signal from at least one local station.

03 · Category

Audience & Viewership3 stats

01
As of 2024, broadcast TV remains the dominant source of free over-the-air viewing in many markets, with the FCC’s DTV public information explaining the distribution model
02
In 2023, the FCC’s Consumer Guide on broadcast TV explains that most full-power stations broadcast free over-the-air after the digital transition, supporting local access economics
03
In 2024, Kantar reported that households with connected TVs watched more streaming and shifted viewing time away from linear; this is measurable by minutes per day in the report
Interpretation

Audience & Viewership Interpretation

In 2024, even as connected TV households were shifting viewing time away from linear as Kantar measured by minutes per day, broadcast TV still remained the dominant free over-the-air source in many markets, underscoring that local audience and viewership are shaped by both resilient OTA access and growing streaming time.

05 · Category

Performance Metrics8 stats

01
In 2023, the FCC’s EAS data and public materials show that local broadcasters participate in emergency alerts; this is a measurable operational function with nationwide participation
02
In 2023, the FCC’s CAP compliance program measured broad adoption of standards-based alerts; the FCC materials provide adoption framework and compliance guidance
03
In 2024, NAB reported that local stations’ digital operations contributed measurable audience reach via websites and streaming apps, quantified through traffic and viewership in NAB member studies
04
In 2024, the FCC’s station database provides measurable ERP (effective radiated power) values by station, which determines local coverage capacity
05
In 2024, station data includes HAAT (height above average terrain) in measurable units, affecting coverage reliability for local markets
06
In 2023, the FCC’s rulemaking required certain emergency alert system updates measured by compliance milestones and implementation checks
07
In 2023, the FCC reported that 100% of full-power TV stations must participate in EAS; this is a measurable compliance requirement
08
In 2023, the FCC reported that EAS required tests include required monthly/weekly components; tests are measurable by schedule
Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

Across 2023 to 2024 performance metrics show that local broadcasters have nationwide emergency alert participation and full power coverage compliance with 100% of full power TV stations required to join EAS, while their digital reach and technical coverage capacity are measurable through FCC ERP and HAAT data and NAB tracked audience engagement.

06 · Category

Cost Analysis3 stats

01
In 2023, the FCC’s TV spectrum auctions and repacking processes created measurable deadlines and costs; broadcasters must maintain operation to serve local markets
02
In 2024, the FCC reported that the legacy repacking completion required relocation of thousands of stations nationally, which is a measurable cost and operational change affecting local TV
03
In 2023, the average cost of producing local TV news segments includes labor, equipment, and studio time; industry surveys quantify station operating expenses by category
Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

Cost pressures in the local TV industry were clearly measurable as FCC spectrum auctions and legacy repacking drove deadlines and required relocating thousands of stations nationally, while producing local news also remains tied to consistently tracked station operating expenses like labor, equipment, and studio time.

More related reading

07 · Category

Market Structure3 stats

01
1,487 full-power commercial TV stations were licensed in the U.S. (2023 FCC count).
02
The U.S. had 1,628 full-power TV stations and 1,662 Class A/LD/LPTV stations (total 3,290 TV stations) in the Commission’s 2023 broadcast station inventory dataset.
03
In 2024, U.S. TV station ownership concentration remained high: the top 10 owners controlled 39.6% of all full-power commercial stations (owner consolidation measurement used in industry analyses).
Interpretation

Market Structure Interpretation

The market structure shows persistent concentration in U.S. local TV as the top 10 owners controlled 39.6% of all full-power commercial stations in 2024, even though the overall system includes 1,628 full-power stations plus 1,662 Class A, LD, and LPTV stations.

08 · Category

Reach And Viewing1 stats

01
99.8% of U.S. households have access to local broadcast TV stations (FCC coverage analysis estimate).
Interpretation

Reach And Viewing Interpretation

Nearly every U.S. household has access to local broadcast TV stations, with 99.8% coverage indicating exceptionally broad reach for the Reach And Viewing category.

09 · Category

Audience Competition2 stats

01
In 2023, 68% of U.S. adults reported that they get news at least sometimes from local TV news sources, supporting a sustained demand base for local TV advertising.
02
In 2023, Apple App Store and Google Play combined supported 150M+ downloads for news and media apps category globally (industry analytics estimate), where local station apps compete.
Interpretation

Audience Competition Interpretation

With 68% of U.S. adults getting news from local TV at least sometimes and 150M+ global downloads in news and media apps overall, audience competition for local stations is clearly strong both in traditional viewing and in the competing app space.

10 · Category

Revenue Economics1 stats

01
In 2023, National cable subscribers numbered 71.9 million households in the U.S. (U.S. cable subscriptions estimate by S&P Global/industry data compilation).
Interpretation

Revenue Economics Interpretation

In 2023, the U.S. had 71.9 million households subscribed to national cable, underscoring how revenue economics for local TV can be heavily shaped by the size of the national subscription base.

11 · Category

Operational Resilience1 stats

01
In 2023, 96% of full-power stations participated in the Emergency Alert System (EAS) event reporting pool used for CAP and monitoring compliance audits (industry compliance analysis).
Interpretation

Operational Resilience Interpretation

In 2023, 96% of full-power stations joined the EAS event reporting pool for CAP and compliance monitoring, showing strong operational resilience through near-universal readiness in emergency alert communications.
Reference

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APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Local Tv Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/local-tv-industry-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Local Tv Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/local-tv-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Local Tv Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/local-tv-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

46 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level

sirkovich.comfcc.govnab.orgpewresearch.orgkantar.commoodys.comjournalism.orgspglobal.comadvanced-television.comconsumersreports.orgbusinessofapps.com

+35 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)