Television news reporters with local accents

In My Humble Opinion
1

When I’ve been in the Southerbn US, the local television news anchors speak in a Midwestern “Midland Northern” accent, not a drawl.

In New York, for the most part, the local television news anchors speak in a Midwestern “Midland Northern” accent, not a Yiddish-inspired inflection or Brooklyn Italian accent.

In Colorado, the local television news anchors speak in a Midwestern “Midland Northern” accent,; they don’t keep their jaws locked closed like a cowboy on the range.

So, why is it in Buffalo, news anchors and reporters talk in a Buffalo accent?

http://tinyurl.com/qwg3f (very strong Buffalo accent)
http://tinyurl.com/oz864 (reporter has a light Buffalo accent)

Are there any other parts of the US where it’s acceptable for television and radio personalities speak in the local or regional accent?

2

TV anchors start in small markets like Buffalo and move their way up the food chain to larger cities. The good ones will work on losing whatever accent they have so they can move up. The bad ones stay put because people in Denver don’t want someone delivering local news with a Buffalo accent.

Here is a list of the top 210 Designated Market Areas according to Neilsen. The further down the list you go, the more likely it is that the anchors will have a local accent.

Robin