Radio Newsrooms Grow for Second Year, Local News Surges

RADIO ONLINE | Friday, August 1, 2025 | 4:02pm CT

RTDNA

A new survey from the RTDNA and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University shows a continued rise in the number of radio stations producing local news, with 70.5% of all stations surveyed reporting local newscasts -- a 6.3% increase over last year.

The annual study, authored by Bob Papper, Keren Henderson, and Tim Mirabito, marks the second consecutive year of growth in local radio newsrooms. The increase was especially strong among commercial stations, with 75.3% now running local news -- a jump of 10.3% from the previous year. In contrast, non-commercial stations saw a slight decline, dropping from 60.7% to 60%, continuing a downward trend that began last year.

AM stations still lead FM stations in providing local news, though the gap is narrowing. FM stations are adding news at a faster rate -- nearly 3 percentage points higher than their AM counterparts.

Ownership also appears to be a factor in newsroom growth. Last year, locally owned stations surpassed non-locally owned ones in producing local news for the first time since the survey began tracking the data. That trend held steady in 2025, with 71.4% of locally owned stations airing local news compared to 66.7% of those owned by outside entities.

The survey authors note that while digital sub-channels may continue to affect the data, the leveling off in non-commercial declines suggests some stabilization in the sector.