2 companies may soon own 5 Indy TV stations. How will that impact news coverage? – IndyStar

2 companies may soon own 5 Indy TV stations. How will that impact news coverage?  IndyStar

A deal announced in October means that Indianapolis' top five TV news stations could be owned by just two companies in the future — raising questions about what consolidation could mean for local news coverage. Residents on social media largely reacted with skepticism and concern. "There goes the news," "our media being a monopoly is not good at all," and "so happy to get all my 'news' from one source" were a few comments that encapsulated the sentiment. The Indianapolis TV news ecosystem hasn't changed much in recent history, and pending acquisitions have served as a "shock to the system," said Terry Heifetz, a Ball State University professor who spent 30 years in TV news.

IndyStar spoke with Heifetz and two other media experts about how news coverage in the Indianapolis market could change, what consolidation could look like and whether their TV guide could have fewer or more local offerings. "It's not completely surprising that there's consolidation happening right now as more people are getting their news streaming and in other digital ways," he said. "And at the same time, the regulatory environment in Washington is very different now." Circle City Broadcasting announced a $83 million deal Oct. 28 to purchase ABC affiliate WRTV-TV Channel 6 from the E.W. Scripps Co. WRTV saw some high-profile resignations and layoffs earlier