This study was conducted by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, a journalists’ group in Washington, D.C., affiliated with the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Tom Rosenstiel, director of the PEJ, was lead writer. Carl Gottlieb, the deputy director, supervised all aspects of the study. Atiba Pertilla and Chris Galdieri of PEJ were project researchers.

The scholar team that developed the methodology included Marion Just, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science at Wellesley College; Michael Robinson, Ph.D., formerly of Georgetown University; Ann Crigler, Ph.D., Director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California, and Sherrie Mazingo, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota, and Lee Ann Brady of Princeton Survey Research Associates.

Researchers at Princeton Survey Research Associates coded the newscasts and prepared the initial statistical data under Brady’s supervision. Todd Belt of USC developed the measurements and analyzed the Nielsen Media Research data for ratings, share, demographics and audience retention. Kathy Regan and Rosalind Levine performed data collection and statistical analysis for the survey of news directors. Evan Jenkins, consulting editor of the Columbia Journalism Review, edited the articles. Nancy Novick, art director of the Columbia Journalism Review, designed the layout and graphics.

Design Team

The following local news professionals developed the criteria of quality for this study and signed off on major decisions:

John Cardenas
News Director, WBNS, Columbus, Ohio

John Corporon
Board of Governors, Overseas Press Club

Randy Covington
former News Director, WIS, Columbia, S. C.

Marty Haag
former Executive Vice President, A.H. Belo

Alice Main
former Executive Producer, WLS, Chicago

Gordon Peterson
Principal Anchor, WUSA, Washington, D.C.

Jose Rios
Vice President of News, KTTV, Los Angeles

Dan Rosenheim
News Director, KPIX, San Francisco

Kathy Williams
News Director, WKYC, Cleveland

Gary Wordlaw
President and General Manager, WTVH, Syracuse

This year’s Local TV News study is dedicated to the memory of James Lawrence Snyder. Jim was one of the guiding hands of this project and was a member of the design team of industry professionals that continues to advise us. To a fine journalist and a terrific friend, we will miss you.