Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on
Local public affairs shows account for less than one half of one percent of all programming on local television stations, according to a study released by the Alliance for Better Campaigns. "Broadcasters have relegated local public-affairs programming to the very bottom of the heap - behind cartoons, kitchenware specials, reruns, courtroom dramas, dating shows and late-night talk shows," reports Jennifer Harper. "The analysis found, for example, that there were three times as many 'Seinfeld' reruns as local public-affairs shows on TV stations nationwide. There were four times as many cartoon shows, seven times as many pro football games, nine times as many dating shows, 19 times as many late-night talk shows, 20 times as many courtroom dramas and 23 times as many soap operas."
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