"Do most stations do a good job of having newscasters who are down-to-earth, talk the way real people do, take the time to get involved with the local news and get out into the community, or is this an area where they need to improve?"



Over 20% of all viewers complain about this issue, and most of them (13%) feel strongly about it (particularly 18-24s).




What Viewers Really Have to Say about Newscasters

Local news viewers overwhelmingly want their newscasters to be "real people." They prefer newscasters who are familiar — someone they can relate to the same as a friend or neighbor. They want the people on the air to be friendly, concerned, involved in the stories, and knowledgeable, with a good sense of humor (without being too silly). They also want personalities who strike just the right balance between being professional and being relaxed. Many viewers also say that there's so much negative news on the air, that they look to the newscasters to give them a sense of reassurance and comfort.

To these viewers, each personality should get along well with all of the other on-air talent, and demonstrate an ability to be cheerful and pleasant to members of the public encountered outside the studio. There's no strong-er praise than hearing a viewer say "he's just a regular guy" or "I feel like I could sit down and have a cup of coffee with her."

Viewers also like it when anchors get out from behind the desk to get involved in the local community or do on-the-scene reporting. When an anchor makes an effort to get out and do things, it makes a much stronger impression on many members of the audience. If the weathercaster gives talks at local schools, the sportscaster interviews local coaches and athletes, and the main anchors make public appearances or do feature reporting, it gives them a much greater sense of being connected to the viewing area.

Most viewers assume that newscasters will be well-groomed, well-dressed, well-spoken and well prepared to go on the air. Even in the smallest most "down home" markets, there is little tolerance for newscasters who "make too many mistakes" in their delivery. When it comes to appearance, most viewers don't necessarily expect supermodels, but they do like to see a natural, updated look. Clothing and hair that are too stiff or formal make an anchor seem less approachable.

Many viewers would prefer to watch anchors who are native to the viewing area, because they have a better understanding of local issues and customs than people brought in from the "outside." They can also pronounce the names of local towns, rivers, etc. correctly, and are presumably more familiar with local politicians, local annual events, and the like. Viewers just have a much easier time relating to someone who's local.

Specific comments that viewers make about personalities are listed below, in descending order of frequency by category:

Station Personalities Should Be Down-to-Earth — "The way they speak on television can be a put-on...[Be] ordinary people...When they're down-to-earth, they're speaking at our level, and you can understand them better...Get down right with us using everyday language...A lot of people watching the local news can not identify with someone wearing a $700 suit, and they don't even comb their own hair...Nobody likes a fake person...A down-to-earth person is always very upbeat, happy, open minded, more logical. You don't want an old crab up there now, do `ya? Who's not down-to-earth, and just all business and no personality?...If a newscaster talks down to you, you're not gonna listen to him...Nobody likes to feel they're watching automaton robots...It's just being honest and open...You feel like you know them. Like your neighbor next door, it just feels personal...I like people to talk to me like I would to them...The ones we have, we feel close to. We just have that element of trust, no uppity stuff, and we're just common folks around here...When a person is down-to-earth, you become comfortable with them...People wanna see people who can relate to them and their problems on a more personal basis than just someone who is sittin' behind a desk quoting something in front of them...I like down-to-earth folks because I AM one...You feel more relaxed, and they're more relaxed."

They Should Get Out Into the Community — "Get involved in the community so they'll know who or what they're talking about...When they know the community and get down-to-earth, it's more like Montana people. It's better than the alternative...If they're down-to-earth and in touch with their local communities, then they know what their local communities want...A lot of newscasters have moved to the area to take the job, and they don't get to know the area. I've been to some events myself and talked to some of the news reporters. They GET there, but don't have a clue as to where they are or who's involved — a special event going on somewhere, a ceremony that's being set up — they're just there to cover it and go, and they really don't have a clue as to what they're covering...They need to know what the community is really like...I believe they should be involved in the community, so they'll know what's going on and what needs to be improved. Like if there's gang related crime, they could see what kind of life people live...They need to get down to the level of the people, and get to know the community instead of themselves...Get involved with the people. Go to cook-offs, get out on the street...My favorite newscaster growing up was very community-centered. I liked him a lot...When you see persons in the community involved in community activities, you get the feeling this person is part of the community rather than someone who's just hired...How can I judge what he's tellin' me if I don't see him doing other things?...It's like the police. If they just wanna get the story and forget about it, I don't think that's right. You have to be INVOLVED with the community."

They Should Be Easy To Relate To — "They have to show that they convey an understanding of the area from which they're reporting. To make them feel like they have some concern, empathy, understanding. It makes people feel better about them and feel they're more credible...You can relate more to newscasters who you feel understands the area and knows the area...People relate more to that type of person and feel that it is more of a sincere broadcast than a TV show...They always appear so plastic anyhow, that it'd create a sense of realness to them if they would just talk to us. Like the Murphy Brown typical news announcer, anybody can read a teleprompter. What I'm looking for is somebody I can relate to. If they would talk to me like a real person, I'd be the most loyal viewer in the world...I hate a talking head that looks like they're reading...I like watching people who are just like me. It's easier to pay attention to...I can identify more with that kind of person than someone who tries to talk above me and doesn't realize they're doing it."

They Should Be Knowledgeable — "Get to know the community if they're gonna be reporting on it...If they're gonna be a newscaster, they should know what's goin' on all over the place...If a reporter actually knows what's goin' on, and knows the people involved, and is familiar with what's goin' on, they could do a better job of it...If they get where they know the area and the people, then they're concerned about what happens in their area and community...They tend to go off in left field when they're not out there and they don't know what's goin' on...Somebody like that knows more what's goin' on than somebody who's too prissy to be concerned...They need to know the people they're talking to...They really need to get to know the people around `em."

They Should Be Easy to Understand — "Not everybody has a college education...When people try to talk over your head, it gets to me...Many people probably wouldn't understand their vocabulary."

They Should Show Caring/Concern — "They're not doing it just to do it. They actually care. Otherwise, I'd feel like they're just doin' it to be on TV, and don't really care...They know more when something SHOULDN'T be said, and they're more into the feelings of the people...You feel more of a connection to it, it seems more personal...They really care about the community and not about themselves...If they talk like they care, and get out into the community and do newscasts from different locations to report different things they're involved in...There are lot of them that give the newscast like they could care less what they're talkin' about. If they go out in the community, then they're gonna care about it...There are a lot of phonies who're just trying to promote themselves and go up the ladder [like] Barbara Walters, who just wanna make money...Sometimes they can get immune to it and forget peoples' feelings...If the persons are too busy thinking about how perfect they're supposed to look and speak, then what you get is an appearance, you don't get a real relationship between what's happening. You would ideally hope that the person giving the news cares about the news they're giving. You would hope it would have some impact on them."

They Must Earn the Viewers' Respect — "When you got somebody you look up to in the news, you respect a person doin' the job. But if they don't get involved, you don't pay much attention to `em...If they get to know the community, they're more trustworthy...It makes `em more believable and trustworthy."

They Should Never Over dramatize — "It's like they're acting sometimes. Just say it like it is, don't try to dramatize anything...Don't be actors, just tell us the news, and that's it. A lot of these newscasters think they're movie stars or celebrities. Some don't talk down to earth, they have this macho presentation, and it's like bein' on a movie set. They just need to tell us the news like a Joe Smith. What matters is the story, not the person tellin' it."