Newhouse, Radio Television Digital News Association to Partner on Annual Newsroom Survey

The survey, established in 1972, represents the only comprehensive annual research of radio and television newsrooms, providing unique insight into staffing, salaries, news coverage and business operations—and how local broadcast news is surviving in a digital world.

Bob Papper, emeritus distinguished professor of journalism at Hofstra University, has run the survey for 25 years. He will join the Newhouse School faculty effective this year.

“We are thrilled about this new partnership with RTDNA, and look forward to welcoming Bob Papper to Newhouse,” says Amy Falkner, interim dean of the Newhouse School. “This is a great opportunity to support and expand a resource that’s so important to our field, and to keep it going for future students, faculty and journalists.”

“Partnering with the Syracuse University S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications will allow RTDNA and the academic community to continue important, longstanding research, which has become the benchmark of record for areas critical to the industry, including diversity and innovation,” says Dan Shelley, executive director of RTDNA and the Radio Television Digital News Foundation (RTDNF). “As the preeminent professional association devoted exclusively to broadcast and digital journalism, we’re proud to be working with one of the nation’s most prestigious university public communications programs.”

“The Newhouse School at Syracuse is one of the finest communications programs anywhere, and I’m excited about working with so many outstanding faculty there on this important research,” Papper says.

The partnership “just makes sense,” says Chris Tuohey, chair of Newhouse’s broadcast and digital journalism department. “This is the definitive survey when it comes to broadcast and digital journalism employment trends. We are among the top schools when it comes to training people to work in these jobs. The reputations go hand in hand.”

Tuohey notes the longstanding importance of Papper’s work and says he looks forward to collaborating with him. “Most of our faculty use this survey in class not only to talk about wage trends but also to keep tabs on how the industry is doing when it comes to issues of diversity in employment,” Tuohey says. “Bob has always been one to share his data freely with anyone who is interested. But to have him as our partner, along with RTDNA, is very exciting and should allow us to dive even deeper into this treasure trove of data, both in our practical journalism classes and in our research classes.”

The 2020 Newsroom Survey is currently underway and results will be released later this year. Prior survey data can be found at RTDNA.org/research.