How Local News Can Create Graphics Content to Rival National Networks

Some of the biggest news stories of all time — the Chilean Miner Rescue, the O.J. Simpson Trial, and the Miracle on the Hudson — started with high-quality reporting from local news. 

Today, local news broadcasters face unprecedented challenges. According to Pew Research, Americans increasingly turn to social media platforms or other online sources. Younger US adults are now reported to trust social media information as much as information from national news outlets. 

While local channels have seen a large audience decline, they still attract the biggest audience compared to cable and network stations — and that presents a huge opportunity for local broadcasters. In fact, despite that viewership decline, local TV stations have seen an increase in revenue from both advertising and retransmission fees in recent years, particularly during election years.   

Today’s local broadcasters must compete with national channels, online micro-news channels, social media influencers — and a proliferation of AI-generated content. However, they can stand out from the competition through a strong visual identity, consistency in branding, integrity in data reporting, and leaning into their local knowledge. 

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“What keeps viewers coming to our station is an overarching feel…and I think graphics and the way we present the news support the feeling that the community and viewers get from our station.” 
— Felicia Steiger, Design Director, Graham Media Group   

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High-quality content with polished graphics that rivals national networks conveys credibility and wins audiences. However, keeping up with big network budgets can strain local and regional news broadcasters. But workflow and creative automation technology can help local news leverage their competitive edge and keep their creatives on par with the big networks. 

The Power of Visual and Real-Time Data  

Great graphics and visualized data can convey credibility and increase engagement by as much as double. Younger generations are becoming so used to the instant gratification of social media that they expect the same degree of intensity from all media. The ticker tape just doesn’t cut it anymore.  

Real-time data deepens the value of local news broadcasters’ reporting, allowing regional news stations to cover local sports teams and elections with the same level of insight and depth as national stations.

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“Everybody is looking at costs, and we know the material costs of building sets. A virtual studio is a great combination of lowering those costs and increasing the creative potential exponentially.” 
— Jim Rothschild, Station Manager, WRAL 5  

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Data visualization and 3D renders are already used to bring to life a wide range of stories for TV news, and we are seeing that usage grow. The major challenge is creating enough content to satisfy that demand without straining your newsroom team.   

Using Technology to Make More with Less 

Even simple weather forecasting graphics involve ingesting and processing multiple data sources. If local news created graphics from scratch every broadcast and updated them manually, they could never keep up with national organizations.  

Automated data ingestion and templated graphics expedite and simplify this process, allowing local news producers to use the highest-quality graphics without overburdening their creative teams, saving a lot of time and resources from repetitive manual creative work. 

Local news network Graham Media Group uses ‘super-templates’ to create and distribute high-fidelity, on-brand graphics for their network of stations from a single creative hub. 

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“We’re supporting seven [new stations], so we have one template that does at least ten different things. Producers can get to what they need faster. They give our users a lot more flexibility and a lot more options to use the graphics they want to use.” 
— John Robbins, Graphics System Specialist, Graham Media Group 

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Watch the video below to see how Graham Media use XPression to do more in less time:

Ensuring Brand Consistency & Integrity Across Platforms 

Brand consistency conveys professionalism and credibility. Automated templates like lower-third graphics, over-the-shoulder graphics, transitions, etc., give local news the ability to quickly incorporate consistent graphics, even when covering novel topics. 

Automation also makes it easier for newsrooms to distribute content to multiple platforms. 86% of Americans “sometimes” or “often” get news from a smartphone, computer, or tablet, so news stations must leverage creative technology to configure their news broadcast graphics to fit different aspect ratios, screens, orientations, and contexts. 

_{Image Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/01/12/more-than-eight-in-ten-americans-get-news-from-digital-devices/} 

Leveling the Playing Field with Smart Content Creation 

There is a huge opportunity for local TV news stations in this election cycle. High-quality stories told with a true local voice, real on-the-ground reporting, and clever use of high-fidelity graphics can give local news stations an edge over larger broadcasters in an age when people are ever more discerning in the sources they choose.  

Ross Video’s technology like XPression and Streamline Pro help local broadcasters around the world take full advantage of modern graphics and compete with national broadcasters. To learn more about how Ross Video solutions can make your newsroom more efficient and effective, reach out to one of our team here. 

Keeping Pace in the Election Race

2024 is a big year for newsrooms with a record number of elections taking place around the globe. For advanced insights on how newsrooms can get ahead in addressing their elections needs with cutting-edge graphics, download our guide.