Fairness and accuracy are not the first thing a local television newscast has to deliver. 

The #1 priority above all is.... win the 25-54 age women viewers demographic.  That's it.  That is hands down, without argument, the single most important thing any local newscast must, first and foremost, do.

Don't do that and you will be fired. 

Local news is the engine that drives local sales at any local station.  Station managers must meet sales goals above anything else.  Sales managers must meet sales goals above anything else.  And those people run the news department.  Oh sure there is a "News Director" whose job it is to run the news department but if a ND doesn't deliver what the sales department demands then... again you lose your job. 

Ever wonder why Sports is cut to nothing?  Because it does not hit the 25-54women's demographic.

Ever wonder why the "health" reporter and station cover and sponsor women's healh issues non-stop (breast cancer, etc) and very rarely, if ever, a men's health issue?  Despite the obvious fact that.. overall.. women are healthier than men and live longer lives.  Shouldn't we focus on who really has the health issues?  Well no.  Because it's not about covering real health news. It's about pandering to women who want stories about their health issues.

Every morning the unspoken words at every single editorial meeting in the nation are "what can we cover and how can we cover it to make WOMEN want to watch our newscast".  Not "viewers", just women viewers.

All of this for the simple reason that women 25-54 are the biggest target market for advertisers.  Go out as a sales team and try to sell the fact that you are the #1 station among all viewers.  That's good.  But it is MUCH better and worth ALOT more money to be able to go out and say you are #1 among women 25-54.  That's where the cash is.  That's the demo television advertisers spend the bulk of their money on.

Focus groups come into a station (happens all the time).  They are given a free lunch and told to watch tapes of potential anchors to be hired.  Whomever the women 25-54 swoon over or like... that is the person hired.

And it's just what those women say.  No one else in that group (if there are any) matters.

Women 25-54 want to watch "Oprah does the news".  So they demand (and get) from their local news.

- An endless parade of features passing as news (on relationships, kids, home, etc).

- WORSE. Direct pandering features "Is your spouse (read: b*stard husband) cheating on you.. tonight at 11."

- A Health reporter (with an overwhelming focus on their health issues).

- PETS! yes cuddly little things!  That's 'news'! (well it's focus group positive tested 'news').

- More Weather and less Sports (some stations have cut sports out entirely - because? so few women watch it... yes - they can track the demo numbers in 10 minute increments).

- Cooking... gardening... in-studio fashion shows, name it.  If it's women 25-54.. it's a feature on your local news.  And these are mostly "sold" features to advertisers who sponsor them, sometimes live at their stores.

- Slogans from stations that say "We're on your side!" and "You can count on us!" - as if that has anything to do with covering the real news of the day. It doesn't, those slogans are focus tested with a group of women to see what makes those women "feel good" and more likely to watch your 'news'.

- WORSE.  The stations use consulting firms that tell them how to write the news (which they do) and use 'terms for women' - which is why you will hear the anchors say things like "folks" and "imagine".   You'll know it when you hear the anchor say.. "Imagine what it would be like to..."

- An another endless stream of small things you might otherwise miss.  The end of the newscast shot of the local elementary classroom all waving at the camera (because... Mom is watching!) or forcing the sports anchor to cover little league or youth soccer (because... Mom is watching!).

News Directors hide this little secret.  They do so because they are usually given about 6 minutes of each newscast to actually do news.  So what they do is give the women's audience some fat to chew on - "First Weather!" (as if in Los Angeles you really need a weather report within the first 9 seconds of the newscast) - then do what little news they can and - zip - it's off to women's issues.

They get around the "news" part by non-stop promos throughout the night during prime time - little 10 second promos that say "Why (enter womens issue) is important! Tonight at 11".

This is not to bash women or women viewers.  All I want is for you to know the manipulation that takes place and what goes on behind the scenes. 

Women need to know this as well.  It is they who are being manipulated.

This isn't to say the news departments should not do this.  Television stations are free enterprises and should do whatever it takes to make a profit. I entirely agree.  And I also agree that targeting this slice of an audience is the best way to make money.  Because, it is.

This is just to let you know what it is you are really seeing is not the "news" it is the "news for a certain narrow segment of the population that can make our sales departement sell ads and bring money to the station".

If you ever see a local tv news promo that screams "How to find the best power tools for your money, tonight at 11!" you can bet that station is bleeding cash and lining up to fire a few people. 

Young moms know about 'spoon feeding' one child.  Local TV news knows about 'spoon feeding' thousands of women... and then how to spin it into ratings! 

WORSE.  They will promote it.  "The best way to spoon feed your baby, tonight at 11!".