More executives at media company Tegna are exiting amid the ongoing legal issues the company is facing related to the Nexstar merger.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Patrick Paolini will be the company’s new CEO, with Mike Steib leaving the company. Paolini is coming from FOX Television Stations, where he has served as Executive Vice President of Advertising Sales since 2023.
Today, Deadline reports that several others are leaving Tegna, including CFO Julie Heskett, Chief Strategy Officer Ed Busby, and Chief Experience Officer Dhanusha Sivajee. Paolini is expected to make changes to the leadership team at the company when he steps into his new role.
Nexstar Media Group closed a $6.2 billion deal to acquire Tegna in March, giving Nexstar control of Tegna’s 64 stations across 51 markets. However, following a legal battle with DIRECTV and several state attorneys general over the merger, the ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX stations are continuing to operate under Tegna branding for now. Until a temporary restraining order is resolved, Tegna must continue operating as a fully independent business unit with its own management team.
Following the news of the execs leaving, a Nexstar spokesperson released this statement: “We’re grateful to the departing Tegna leaders, who have chosen to resign from their roles, for their dedication and service to the company, its local television stations, and the communities they serve. Their contributions helped strengthen local journalism at a critical moment for our industry, as broadcasters face a dramatically changed media landscape dominated by trillion-dollar streaming platforms and Big Tech. The Nexstar-Tegna merger is about building on that work — ensuring local stations have the scale, investment, and resources needed to preserve trusted local journalism and successfully compete in the future.”