According to the most recently available data, in 2020, 60.7 percent of surveyed non-satellite TV stations reported that they were showing profit, with just 4.2 percent showing a loss. A struggle was evident in the years 2005 and 2010, where fewer stations were reporting profit and a higher percentage admitting that they were showing loss or breaking even, however notable improvements can be seen in the 2015 data. Expectations for making a profit in 2021 are however the lowest recorded since before 2015.
Profitability of television news stations in the United States from 2000 to 2021
*Forecast.
The survey was conducted among all 1,762 operating, non-satellite television stations and a random sample of 3,379 radio stations. Valid responses came from 1,358 television stations (77.1 percent) and 765 radio news directors and general
managers representing 2,310 radio stations. Some data sets (e.g. the number of TV stations originating local news, getting it from others and women TV news directors) are based on a complete census and are not projected from a smaller sample.
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RTDNA. (March 15, 2021). Profitability of television news stations in the United States from 2000 to 2021 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/957447/tv-news-profitability-level-us/
RTDNA. "Profitability of television news stations in the United States from 2000 to 2021." Chart. March 15, 2021. Statista. Accessed June 30, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/957447/tv-news-profitability-level-us/
RTDNA. (2021). Profitability of television news stations in the United States from 2000 to 2021. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 30, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/957447/tv-news-profitability-level-us/
RTDNA. "Profitability of Television News Stations in The United States from 2000 to 2021." Statista, Statista Inc., 15 Mar 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/957447/tv-news-profitability-level-us/
RTDNA, Profitability of television news stations in the United States from 2000 to 2021 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/957447/tv-news-profitability-level-us/ (last visited June 30, 2022)