CHICAGO —
Nexstar Media’s ownership of WGN-Ch. 9 has triggered a substantial reduction in the station’s newsroom, with eight veteran reporters and anchors let go as part of a wider reorganization that sources inside the station say has been ongoing for months. The cuts, which follow earlier eliminations of newswriters and technical positions, reduce editorial capacity at one of Chicago’s largest local-news operations and come as Nexstar pursues scale and cost-savings across its broadcast portfolio.
The staff reductions at WGN directly affect the station’s ability to produce local newscasts and follow-through reporting, executives and current and former employees said, with impacts concentrated in on‑air reporting and newsroom production roles. Management framed the moves as part of broader efforts to align costs with changing revenue models in local television; a company spokesperson described the actions as steps to “compete effectively in this period of unprecedented change.”
Immediate newsroom changes
Sean Lewis, a near‑two‑decade WGN on‑air veteran who anchored the weekend morning broadcast since 2010, said he filed his last report for the station’s noon broadcast and lamented the scale of the cuts. “This afternoon, I filed my last report for WGN on the noon show,” Lewis said. “A lot of really good people lost their jobs today, and it’s a shame.” Lewis, who served as a union steward, described being asked to remain after attending a layoff meeting for a colleague and then being included among those released; by the end of the day the tally of layoffs reached eight, according to newsroom sources.
Station sources also reported that staffers were informed of separations while working their shifts, and that the layoffs follow a sequence of prior reductions: six newswriters and three technical director positions were eliminated most recently, and four floor director positions were removed in October. Management has said the reductions are budget‑driven; a Nexstar spokesperson, Gary Weitman, issued a statement noting the company would not comment on individual personnel matters but that it was taking steps “necessary to compete effectively in this period of unprecedented change.”
“It’s not often where you can leave a room full of people who work in TV news speechless, and today was one of those days,” said a newsroom source.
Other on‑air staff comments preserved in company and staff accounts included longer‑term reflections on the station’s role in Chicago. “I have loved WGN since I watched it as a kid growing up, and I lived a dream for 19 years, being able to tell Chicago’s stories,” Lewis said. “I can’t wait to see what the next chapter of my story is, but I’m not moving. This is my city.” He added a final, personal regret: “I do wish that I was able to say goodbye to the wonderful viewers.”
Corporate strategy and financial backdrop
Nexstar purchased WGN-Ch. 9 in 2019 as part of its acquisition of Tribune Media; the station is now one asset within a national broadcast group that has been pursuing consolidation, distribution deals and new network ventures as it adapts to advertising and carriage market pressures. In its February 27, 2025 financial release, Nexstar reported a record 2024 performance, with annual net revenue of $5.41 billion and fourth‑quarter net revenue of approximately $1.49 billion — figures the company highlighted as evidence of continued demand for local broadcast advertising and distribution fees.
At the same time, Nexstar has signaled an aggressive expansion strategy that includes a pending acquisition of rival station group Tegna. The deal is described by industry observers as one that would materially increase Nexstar’s scale and national reach; larger scale is central to Nexstar’s stated strategy of leveraging local station portfolios to strengthen negotiating leverage with distributors and advertisers.
Industry observers and policymakers have also pointed to Nexstar’s existing market footprint and recent affiliation renewals as part of the company’s broader commercial positioning. Independent trade coverage has identified Nexstar as the nation’s largest broadcast television group by station count, a position that factors into discussions about regulatory thresholds and market power in local broadcast markets.
Regulatory and governance implications
The wave of newsroom cuts at a major market station intersects with ongoing regulatory debate over media ownership rules in Washington. The national television ownership cap — often cited at 39 percent of U.S. TV households after application of the UHF discount — is a central constraint for large station groups and a key regulatory hurdle for any transaction that would materially expand a broadcaster’s national reach. That cap, as administered by the Federal Communications Commission, shapes how much of the country a single company such as Nexstar can legally reach with its combined portfolio of stations.
Congressional and FCC commentary around the cap has played a direct role in the public framing of major mergers in the sector, including the pending Nexstar‑Tegna proposal. Lawmakers have questioned whether further consolidation in local television risks eroding newsroom capacity and community coverage, even as companies cite the need for scale to compete with digital platforms.
Nexstar’s public statements emphasize competitive necessity while avoiding comment on specific personnel decisions. Within the station, newsroom leadership recently named to the role in August is reported to be holding group meetings to explain and implement the reorganization. The company’s broader operating plan — including distribution negotiations and network investments that have been central to recent revenue growth — remains in effect as executives address rising costs and shifting advertising patterns.
Operational details and precedents
The structural changes at WGN mirror steps other large station owners have taken when consolidating operations or rebalancing local news output to manage margins and redirect resources toward digital distribution or national programming. In recent quarters, Nexstar has publicly highlighted return of capital to shareholders and debt reduction while guiding higher adjusted EBITDA for 2025; those corporate priorities provide context for targeted restructuring at the station level.
A short list of recent, station‑level actions noted by staff and corporate communications:
- Elimination of several on‑air and production roles at WGN, including eight veteran reporters and anchors.
- Earlier reductions at the station: six newswriters and three technical directors; four floor directors removed in a previous round.
- Corporate repositioning tied to Nexstar’s national strategy, including investments in distribution and network properties and pursuit of regulatory approval for a major merger.
WGN’s position as “Chicago’s Very Own” — a legacy, over-the-air station with a broad local footprint and a multichannel digital presence — means changes inside its newsroom can influence how civic institutions, elections and neighborhood issues are covered for one of the country’s largest media markets.
Market implications for local news buyers and advertisers
Consolidation and cost rationalization at a major market station alter available inventory for local advertisers, influence rates for political and non‑political ad slots, and can affect the depth of local reporting that underpins audience engagement. Nexstar’s recent financial disclosures cite stronger distribution and advertising revenue as drivers of record results, a backdrop that helps explain where company priorities are being directed even as individual stations pare staff.
Two external reference points for readers seeking company filings or regulatory background are Nexstar’s financial reporting pages and public materials on the national ownership cap; these provide corporate disclosures and legal context for the kinds of strategic decisions that drive station‑level restructurings. For a broader view of the company’s Chicago operations, including its use of WGN’s multicast channels and network affiliations, readers can consult Nexstar’s own overview of the station’s market role.
The station’s immediate business status is that WGN continues to operate under Nexstar ownership with a reduced newsroom staff; the broader corporate condition is one of ongoing integration of acquired assets, active cost management and regulatory engagement. The pending Nexstar‑Tegna transaction remains subject to approval by federal regulators and any changes to national ownership rules that the Federal Communications Commission may adopt.
