TEGNA Named Three Group General Managers

The media company established a new leadership structure overseeing operations across its six regional stations.

Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in People

TEGNA Named Three Group General Managers

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TEGNA has appointed Joan Barrett and Kate Morris as Group General Managers to join Brad Ramsey in a newly finalized three-person leadership structure. These executives will oversee strategy and expectations for local general managers across the company's six regional divisions.

Why it matters

This organizational shift follows the appointment of CEO Patrick Paolini and serves as a direct response to a federal court order barring the company from merging assets with Nexstar Media Group. The structure aims to solidify internal management after regulatory challenges halted planned expansion.

The company has appointed three Group General Managers to supervise its six distinct geographical regions. This structure consolidates oversight following a legal mandate that blocked a merger with Nexstar Media Group.

The players

Joan Barrett

She is a newly appointed Group General Manager for TEGNA who previously served as the leader of stations in Charlotte and Greensboro.

Kate Morris

She is a newly appointed Group General Manager for TEGNA who previously managed operations at KPNX-12 in Phoenix.

Brad Ramsey

He serves as a Group General Manager at TEGNA with responsibility for stations located in the Texas and Mid-South regions.

Patrick Paolini

He is the current CEO of TEGNA and presided over the reorganization of the company's executive management structure.

Nexstar Media Group

It is a major media company that was previously blocked by federal courts from merging its assets with TEGNA.

The details

Joan Barrett will manage stations in the Northeast and Southeast, while Kate Morris is tasked with the Midwest and West, and Brad Ramsey oversees Texas and the Mid-South. Barrett has led WCNC-TV in Charlotte and WFMY-TV in Greensboro, and Morris has directed KPNX-12 in Phoenix since 2020.

Joan Barrett became President and GM of WCNC-TV in 2020.
Kate Morris became President and GM of KPNX-12 in 2020.
Joan Barrett added oversight of WFMY-TV in 2024.
RBR+TVBR reported on the promotion of Brad Ramsey on September 15, 2026.
TEGNA formally announced the new group leadership on October 12, 2026.

Market Landscape

This reorganization represents a strategic pivot to maintain operational control following the federal court order blocking the TEGNA-Nexstar Media Group merger. By empowering regional leaders, TEGNA is attempting to stabilize its competitive position without the scale initially sought through consolidation.

Average viewers should not experience immediate changes in local programming or station services due to this executive-level shuffle. The shift serves as an internal administrative measure rather than a customer-facing service adjustment.

The takeaway

The implementation of a regional leadership structure indicates a shift toward decentralized management for the media group. Readers should monitor future corporate filings to see if the company integrates its regional operations more deeply or maintains these distinct reporting lines.