As newspapers increasingly outsource functions, even those in editorial departments, TV stations may also soon follow suit. Two Chicago area television may begin considering farming out their sportscasts to reduce costs, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.

What differentiates one sportscast from another, is "mostly the writing, the reading and the rapport of those who bring it to us," the Tribune's Phil Rosenthal pointed out in his column. "The question these days is how much the audience will care when they begin to see the score."

Shared use of generic, raw footage, which can be separately edited and used by multiple stations may be a stepping stone to cut costs. Further down the line comes full outsourcing of functions, such as making a deal with an outside firm to produce and deliver the sports segment, according to the Tribune.