Cable Television's Impact on Audience for Local News

b Recent growth in the number of households subscribing to cable television has raised questions about that medium's impact on conventional, over-theair broadcasting. The general expectation has been that the viewing alternatives available to cable subscribers would cause the audience for local stations to be eroded. In fact, a number of studies have produced evidence that supports this diversion hypothesis.' This research is designed to examine cable's effect on the consumption of local television news, which is, for a number of reasons, a particularly'important facet of the broader audience diversion phenomenon. Local news has long been a program type of special concern to the FCC. During a consideration of the economic relationship between broadcasting and cable, the commission recognized that increased cable competition might injun broadcasters while benefiting the public. It cautioned, however: