The following is a memorandum from the business manager of a television station Over the past year our late night news program has devoted increased time to national news and less time to weather and local news During this time period most of the complain

The memorandum from the business manager proposes to increase the time of the weather and local news coverage to increase the viewership and prevent any further reduction in the revenues. This decision of the manager is based on the increased complaints regarding the local news and weather coverage and the decrease in the number of advertisement contracts. Before implementing this recommendation, the following three thing needs to be evaluated.

Firstly, the manager only mentions that, the complaints regarding the local news and weather increased after reducing its show time. The rise in complaints can not necessarily be attributed to the decreased coverage time. There may be a myriad of other issues causing complaints. For example, the coverage of the local news may be inaccurate, causing the people to report and raise complain. Also, it is probable that till last year the news covered different pressing issues in the local region but starting last year the news-house may not be focusing of what’s important for the people of the region. This may have resulted in increased request to cover appropriate issues. Thus, attributing the reduced time of coverage as the reason for the complaints is not appropriate. If the increased complaints are because of the above mentioned reason than the original argument is significantly weakened.

Secondly, the manager assumes that the reduced contracts by the local business is a by-product of the reduced time of the local news program. However, there may be a number of other reasons for cancelling the contract. It is possible that the businesses have found a better way of advertising. They may be using social media platforms or local hoarding allowing them to better target the local audience than the news program. Further, it is possible that another channel is providing them a similar audience at a lower price. If any of the above reason is true, it undermines the manager argument of increasing the local news time.

Lastly, the author assumes that expanding the local news and weather coverage will increase the viewers and reduce any further losses of contracts. Doing so does not necessarily guarantee the desired result. The decrease in the viewership may be because of other reasons. People might have found other sources like news apps of streaming platforms for getting their daily news update. So even if the local news and weather program time is increased it would not result into regaining such customers.

Thus, the argument made by the manager, as is stands now is flawed because of its reliance on several assumptions. The business manager needs to provide more data to support the arguments made for planning to expand the local news and weather coverage. Only then, can the credibility of the argument be judged and it can be decided whether to implement it or not.