Despite what you hear about the rise of ‘nontraditional’ media and other digital media platforms — there is still a place for traditional media, specifically local TV news, in your PR strategy.
While it’s always important to have a good mix of media placements and not put all of your eggs in one basket, we’ve seen strong results when our clients include local news.
Consider these reasons why TV should remain part of your PR strategy, especially in 2022.
2022 is an election year. Your brand may not have anything to do with politics, but the reason this is important is local TV viewership typically increases during election years. The Pew Research Institute found local news viewership increased in 2020, likely fueled by the election as well as the pandemic. Local news operations typically see a rise in ad revenue and viewers during election cycles.
Potential customers are still watching local news. Local TV news audiences increased in 2020, and local news typically still has more viewers than cable and network television. It’s likely that the audience your client wants to reach is engaged with local news in some capacity.
TV news is more trusted than social media. The Edelman Trust Barometer found 57% of Americans trust traditional media. 55% of Americans say they trust social media. The level of distrust in social media is likely due to misinformation frequently being shared. However, social media users are learning to find news sources they trust on social media instead of relying on information from other organizations.
Local news streaming is increasing. Most local TV stations have OTT (over-the-top) apps that allow viewers to watch, even if they aren’t in front of a TV screen. This gives viewers an opportunity to watch their favorite morning show from their phone or tablet. Some ratings are just now catching up to include the streaming audience, so it’s likely that your morning show placement is reaching more people than you think.
Local news stations have time slots available. On average, local TV stations have more than six hours of news programming during the week, which means TV news producers have plenty of time to fill and are looking for quality content. In some markets, the time slots for local news coverage are even increasing.
Certain local news markets have higher viewership than others, so if you’re looking for coverage in markets across the country, it’s still important to know which ones to target. And while local news is important, we recommend including other outlets as well in your next media tour. For example, Radio Tours and Podcast Tours can help your client land even more coverage. Guaranteed Demo Tactics help you drill down to find your exact viewer, listener, or reader across multiple media platforms. Plus, we know social and digital platforms still attract a huge audience, so we offer coverage on The Daily Buzz — a platform with a built-in audience that wants to hear your client’s message.
PR professionals should continue to stay up to date on the changing media landscape, but it’s important to note that traditional media matters to boost credibility and improve brand awareness. Ready to plan your next tour? Contact us today.