Answer:
1. Yes, I do believe that people who read newspapers watch local news. I think that local news might be more appealing to some people, because sometimes it's easier to get your point across just by talking to someone.
2. I do think a kicker would be as effective because your audience is paying more attention. It won't warm your audience up as much, but they'll be paying attention more. If you put a kicker in the middle, it can also break up the monotony.
Explanation:
I don't know a lot about journaling, so these are the only things I can answer. Sorry about that, and good luck!