Pros
Some stations have a good reputation
Cons
Since Mike Steib took over leadership, employees were told early on to expect a “lean and mean” operation. That message quickly became reality: staff cuts, slimmer teams, and fewer resources across stations. Unfortunately, the workload did not shrink alongside those cuts — it grew. Newscasts were extended, in some cases by hours, despite having fewer people to produce them. Instead of simplifying content to match reduced staffing, expectations increased. The result has been predictable: diminished product quality, less time for thoughtful and meaningful storytelling, and a workforce stretched too thin to do its best work. On top of longer shows, employees are now expected to create additional digital content, including TEGNA One reels. This expectation applies not only to on-air talent but also to producers — yet another responsibility added to already overloaded shifts, often without time built in to reasonably accomplish it. Morale took another hit this year with the rollout of holiday bonuses. Many employees had already accepted that bonuses might not happen — but learning that select stations received them, while others did not, felt deeply unfair. Even local management appeared blindsided by this decision, which only reinforced the disconnect between corporate leadership and the day-to-day reality at stations. There are many dedicated, talented people at my station, and parts of the job are still rewarding. But the broadcast industry is struggling, and TEGNA does not appear focused on incentivizing employees to stay or acknowledging the increasing demands placed on them. Burnout is widespread. People are tired, working hard in a thankless environment, and this latest corporate approach has only deepened that exhaustion.
