As he prepares to step down at the end of 2025, The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) President and CEO Dan Shelley is calling on broadcasters to confront the industry’s biggest challenges—shrinking access, political pressure, safety risks, and the rise of artificial intelligence—with renewed commitment to transparency and ethics.
Appearing on NASBA’s Broadcast Advocate podcast, Shelley reflected on the long-term effects of deregulation in the 1980s, which shifted many radio newsrooms from community service to profit-driven models. That shift, he said, helped create modern-day news deserts. “There are news deserts all over the country — places where people have a very difficult time getting information about what’s happening in their neighborhoods,” Shelley said.
In many of those areas, he warned, the void is filled by misinformation spread through social media.
Shelley also pointed to growing restrictions on press access, particularly in some Republican-led states. “There seems to be a trend, mostly in red states but not exclusively, to restrict public access to public meetings, public records, and real-time police dispatch information,” he said.
He voiced concern about the physical safety of reporters, citing incidents like the Los Angeles protests where dozens of journalists were harmed by police. “Watch your backs, but don’t back down,” he said. “Journalists have not just a First Amendment right, but a First Amendment obligation to seek the best obtainable version of the truth and give that to the public.”
On artificial intelligence, Shelley expressed cautious optimism. He believes AI can help journalists be more efficient but insists it must be used responsibly. RTDNA has issued guidelines requiring human oversight of all AI-generated content. “We are optimistic about how AI will help human journalists keep their communities informed,” he said, “but we’ve got to be careful to make sure that boundaries aren’t obfuscated.”
Looking ahead, Shelley sees opportunity even amid industry disruption. He says consolidation under a deregulatory FCC could help restore local journalism—if companies prioritize news. “So long as your corporation makes a strong commitment to local news, then you as a journalist are going to be fine.”
Transparency, he said, remains essential. “The more transparency you can provide as a journalist, the more trust the public will have.”