Strategic Planning in Local Television Newsrooms

Abstract

This study compared the characteristic of strategic planning as used in the corporate world with the planning process used in a sample of television news departments in local television stations in the United States. The purpose was to determine if commonalities exist, in what circumstances, and whether techniques and approaches used for many years by businesses could advance the process of planning in the fast-paced environment of local television news. In-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of highly experienced local news managers. The results indicated some similarities in planning approaches, but suggested significant differences in how the two industries approach key elements of traditional strategic planning. The primary conclusion drawn from the research suggests the local television news industry in the United States has informally adapted strategic planning processes to their needs with heavy emphasis on tactical execution.