Here They Come

FTVLive was the FIRST to tell you that the struggling Tegna stations have been getting some outside help. 

Tegna has been using Red Seat Ventures, an outside consulting company that puts heavy emphasis on digital and digital first content. 

So far, the results have been mixed at best. Red Seat Ventures has gone into Tegna owned KXTV in Sacramento and it did not get off to a very good start. 

The Red Seat Ventures team then headed into Tegna's Tampa station WTSP and the place was basically blown up. 

A lot of people lost their job as the station retooled under Red Seat Ventures and their Facebook centric news. 

Well now, the consulting company is headed into Atlanta and the staff at WXIA has no clue what to expect. 

"We're scared to death here," said one WXIA staffer.

WXIA GM John Deushane sent out an internal email to the staff spinning the Red Seat Ventures visit as a good thing.

Time will tell if it really is?

Here's the memo, obtained by FTVLive:

Starting next week we’ll begin working with a content consulting team called Red Seat Ventures (RSV). As you know, in 2016 we were the most awarded station in Atlanta, within TEGNA, and possibly in the entire country. RSV’s goal is to partner with us to help grow our broadcast and digital footprint so more people consume your best-in-class journalism.
 
This is the first time since I’ve been at 11Alive that we’ve had the opportunity to resource an outside consultant on a fulltime basis. It represents a major investment by TEGNA and a faith in your ability to win in Atlanta. I know you’ll all do your part to help make that happen.
 
More to follow on this, our newsroom and sales transformations, construction project, and other initiatives when we gather at the staff meeting on March 30.  We will be soliciting your input and keeping you informed along the way on our journey to #1!
 
For those of the Irish persuasion or just fans of all things green, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
 
John
 
John Deushane
President & General Manager
WXIA/WATL

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