RTNDA (Radio Television News Directors Association) is the trade organization representing broadcast news professionals in the United States. Founded in 1946 when radio was the dominant broadcast news medium, the association now serves all electronic media, with the bulk of its membership comprised of local television news professionals. Its primary focus is on the needs of broadcast news managers; while membership is open to all electronic journalists as well as students, educators, suppliers, and other interested parties, only members who exercise significant editorial supervision of news programming are allowed to vote.

Among the organization's services to members are a monthly magazine, RTNDA Communicator, and an annual convention held in the fall featuring training sessions, notable speakers, technology demonstrations, and an exhibit area for suppliers of news products and services. RTNDA also produces a variety of specialty publications for members, including a weekly fax sheet of late breaking developments, targeted newsletters focussing on such areas as TV production and radio reporting, and a monthly newsletter covering legal issues. Other ongoing member services include a resource catalog of related books and tapes; one-day training sessions held throughout the year in different parts of the country; industry research projects that examine pertinent issues such as salaries, staff size, and profitability; and a biweekly Job Bulletin of available personnel and positions.

The number and scope of RTNDA services reflect the dramatic changes experienced by the broadcast news industry in recent years. Among such developments have been the growing profitability and expansion of local television news; the emergence of new outlets such as Cable News Network, C-SPAN, and online information services; and advances in the technology of news gathering, particularly in live remote broadcast capabilities and satellite transmission. In addition, local TV news operations, unlike their newspaper counterparts, are generally locked in fierce three-way competition with other local news programs in the same market. The pressure to maximize ratings often puts the news manager in the precarious situation of having to decide between news values and entertainment values. The nature of a commercial medium such as television generally makes such conflict unavoidable.

Through its ongoing activities and services, RTNDA strives to set and promote professional standards for electronic journalists. The RTNDA Code of Ethics is published in each issue of the organization's monthly magazine. The code states that "the responsibility of radio and television journalists is to gather and report information of importance and interest to the public accurately, honestly and impartially," and provides guidelines for fair, balanced reporting that respects the dignity and privacy of subjects and sources, avoiding deception, sensationalism, and conflicts of interest.

RTNDA honors professional excellence through its Edward R. Murrow awards in the areas of spot news coverage, feature reporting, series, investigative reporting, and overall newscast (awarded separately for small and large market stations). The organization's top honor is the Paul White award, given each year to an individual for lifetime achievement in the field of broadcast journalism. RTNDA also sponsors the Radio Television News Directors Foundation, a nonprofit organization that engages in research, education, and training activities in four principal areas: journalistic ethics, impact of technology on electronic news gathering, the role of electronic journalism in politics and public policy, and cultural diversity in the profession.

-Jerry Hagins