RTDNA Survey Finds Rise in Attacks on Local Newsrooms

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | 3:23pm CT

RTDNA

Attacks on local news stations and journalists continued to rise in 2024, according to the latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey. Researchers found that while the increase from the prior year was small, last year's election cycle added to the dangers facing broadcast journalists.

Radio stations remain less likely to experience violence compared to television newsrooms, but incidents are still increasing. The survey reported that 2.7% of radio news directors and general managers said newsroom employees had been attacked, up 0.5% from 2023. Market size did not appear to play a role in determining risk, though major market radio leaders reported the highest rate of attacks at 10.2%.

The survey also revealed that non-commercial radio newsrooms were more than five times as likely to report attacks as commercial outlets. Regionally, the Northeast again saw more incidents than any other part of the country.

The research was conducted by Bob Papper, Research Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University; Keren Henderson, Associate Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism; and Tim Mirabito, Assistant Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism. The project was supported by the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and the Radio Television Digital News Association.