Spectrum News in 2024: A Year of Expansion and Innovation

Spectrum News produced new content and extended the reach of its award-winning, trusted and unbiased journalism to new areas and via new platforms in 2024. While local news continues to be Spectrum News’ north star, innovation is helping Spectrum News reach more viewers and establish their networks as reliable sources for news and information in communities across the country.

"Journalism is a key pillar of a democratic society, and Spectrum News is at the forefront of expanding access to objective and community-focused local news that helps inspire and connects people with the essential information they need to know,” said Mike Bair, Executive Vice President, Spectrum News. “We are not just adapting to the changing media landscape – we are leading it, providing our viewers with the comprehensive, reliable and relevant news coverage they want."

Spectrum News was the most-watched news network for reliable and objective news in 2024 among Spectrum customers. Throughout the year, Spectrum News averaged 1.76 million daily viewing households across linear and digital platforms, more than ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.*

Image data source: Spectrum’s internal viewership data (across STB, STVA and Spectrum News apps) in markets with Spectrum News; aggregated viewing hours across all local news programming 24/7.

Embracing New Audiences: Spectrum News+ on Xumo Play and C-SPAN

In July Spectrum News+ became accessible to non-Spectrum customers for the first time by adding the channel to Xumo Play, a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service. Spectrum News+ is also available to Spectrum customers via the Spectrum News App on mobile, Xumo Stream Box, Roku and Apple TV.

Additionally, in 2024 Spectrum News partnered with C-SPAN, which aired interviews with Spectrum News’ political reporters and simulcasted some of Spectrum News+’s special live local and national political coverage, including election night. 

“This partnership with C-SPAN elevates our reporting and is a direct result of our commitment to unbiased reporting,” said Mike. 

Spectrum News Expands its Footprint with Local News in Maine, St. Louis and South Carolina

Spectrum News expanded its local news footprint with the launch of three linear networks: Maine in February, St. Louis in August, and South Carolina in October. These networks feature local news every half-hour from on-the-ground journalists, local weather reports, and relevant stories from across the country via Spectrum News+, the national streaming news network. 

“This new model prepares us for future expansion at a time when the local journalism industry is contracting,” added Mike. “Our continued growth is a testament to our ability to be flexible, thinking outside the box to meet the needs of our viewers.”

Innovative Political Programming: Engaging, Informative and Objective 

Spectrum News featured new political shows and specials in 2024: two national shows, “The Big Deal with Errol Louis” and “Front Porch Politics,” and a revamped statewide “Political Connections” show in Florida. Recognizing the need for objective political news coverage of issues and lawmakers both locally and nationally, particularly in a presidential election year, each program offers a unique approach to political coverage, providing viewers with diverse perspectives and in-depth analysis.

• The Big Deal with Errol Louis premiered in March and examines the top political stories of the moment through the lens of Spectrum News’ extensive network of journalists embedded in their respective communities, giving viewers around the country a local view on what is driving politics in America. The network-wide, half-hour primetime show, hosted by political anchor Errol Louis, airs Friday evenings.
• Front Porch Politics, based on the award-winning monthly version of the program in North Carolina, launched as a quarterly national special in March with an expanded focus to tackle relevant topics from across the nation. The magazine-style show, hosted by political anchor Tim Boyum, discusses kitchen table issues in a digestible format for viewers. The first edition of the national special centered around the ongoing gun debate through the lens of the Lewiston, Maine community which recently had been affected by a mass shooting.
• Political Connections, which previously ran as separate traditional political Sunday shows covering the Tampa and Orlando areas, relaunched as a statewide nightly show in January. Spectrum Bay News 9 and Spectrum News 13 came together to produce a politics-centric hour-long program that features in-depth interviews with lawmakers and the top news and information of the day.

“There has never been a greater need for an objective news organization where local reporting remains the trusted source for citizens,” said Mike. “The more chaotic and unstructured the world becomes, the more important it is to act as the trusted broker of information.”

Spectrum News invested in providing comprehensive coverage of the 2024 presidential campaign throughout the year and leading up to Election Day including: 

• Dedicated reporters, including national political reporter Taylor Popielarz and D.C. Bureau reporter Cassie Semyon who covered the Trump/Vance and Harris/Walz tickets respectively, with simulcasts of the two presidential and the vice-presidential debates and special post-debate analysis of each.
• Live coverage of the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention.
• Dozens of reporting trips to battleground states.
• A special “Front Porch Politics Across America” road trip to gauge how Americans were feeling leading up to the election.
• Live, comprehensive coverage of Election Night on both the local and national level.

Spectrum News’ election night coverage enjoyed a 30% increase in viewership across all markets during primetime on November 5 until 3 a.m. ET on November 6, outpacing both FOX and CBS.* 

More information about Spectrum News can be found here.

*Spectrum set-top box and streaming data is sourced from all markets where Spectrum News has distribution, and are based on a minimum threshold of five consecutive minutes of viewing on one station to count as a viewing HH.