Current & Recent Projects

Critical information needs (CINs) are essential areas of public concern about which citizens should know in order to function in their daily lives, both on the individual and community levels. In large measure, people turn toward local television news to fulfill those needs. Currently, there is no mechanism that evaluates to what extent, if any, local television news addresses CINs. This research developed such a model and then tested it in the Columbia, South Carolina TV market. The model has wide and immediate policy implications for media consolidation, and is a tool for policymakers and citizens, alike, to assess the effectiveness of local television news in addressing critical information needs of the American public. The Federal Communications Commission​ has asked for the model to be exapnded to other televsion markets.

Research Team

Allison Becker, MA

Danilo Yanich, PhD, Associate Professor

Report: CIN and Local TV News 2015.pdf

​Political advertising is a structural feature of American political campaigns. That has become more prevalent with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v Federal Election Commission in 2010. The vast majority of that advertising comes in the form of political ads that are shown on local television stations. In fact, in the Presidential election of 2012, local TV stations received over $2.9 billion (80%) of political ad spending. During the final two months of the 2014 mid-term election, the citizens in the Philadelphia television market saw nearly 12,000 political ads that cost their sponsors $14.4 million. Two-thirds of these ads were presented on news programs. The political ads raise questions about public issues that the candidates think will resonate with voters.  An obvious question is to what extent do local newscast cover those public issues. This study examined that question in the Philadelphia television market during the 2014 mid-term election.

Research Team: 

Allison Becker, MA, Coding Director

Danilo Yanich, PhD, Associate Professor, Project Director

Report: ​​​Political Ads and Local TV News_20​15.pdf