The latest RTNDA (RTDNA) study shows that newsrooms have been on a hiring kick as of late.

Total local TV news employment hit a near all-time high in 2015, growing by 1% and adding 270 people, according to the latest RTDNA/Hofstra University Annual Survey.

That puts total TV news staffing at 27,870, and that edges ahead of 2012 but remains below the all-time peak in 2001. Generally, TV newsrooms keep growing in size, but there aren't as many of them as in past years. Even so, the growth in employment overcame another small loss in the number of stations producing local news.

Three stations stopped producing their own news, leaving 714 stations originating local news, down from last year’s 717. That was down two from the previous year’s 719. And that puts us back on a slow – but again steady – decline in the number of TV newsrooms.

The average TV station hired 6.8 replacements during 2015 and 1.6 new, additional positions. Replacements are up nearly a person this year, while new hires are up 0.3 compared to a year.

Folks, we hope you enjoy this now, because we can assure you that 2017 is going to be a lean year in TV news and layoffs are likely.

Not trying to scare you, just trying to prepare you.

Keep FTVLive on your computer and your resume up to date.