The second part of the annual RTDNA/Hofstra University study found the average local station produced a record 5.3 hours of news a day in 2010, up 18 minutes from 2009. The network affiliate average is even higher, recording 5.6 hours of news daily.

Almost 35 percent of stations added a newscast last year — most often occuring in the 4:30 a.m. timeslot on weekdays, RTDNA/Hofstra finds. The majority of stations — 58.9 percent –recorded the same number of newscasts in 2010 and 2009, and only 6.5 percent of stations cut a newscast.

Looking ahead, 36.9 percent of local stations report a planned increase in news coverage in the coming year. RTDNA/Hofstra point out in the survey results that one third of all stations produce news that runs on another stations, so the possibilities for expansion throughout local markets are endless.

Read the full RTDNA/Hofstra University survey results here.