Former TEGNA Chief Content Officer Adrienne Roark has joined media technology company Genna as an advisor, taking on a role focused on helping news organizations use artificial intelligence to streamline production and expand the distribution of journalism across digital platforms.
Roark announced the appointment Tuesday, less than a year after leaving TEGNA following the company’s on-paper acquisition by Nexstar Media Group.
Genna develops AI-powered tools designed to help publishers and media organizations transform existing reporting into video programming for distribution across multiple platforms. The company says its technology is intended to simplify production workflows while leaving editorial decisions and standards under newsroom control.
n announcing her new role, Roark said news organizations need to address the amount of time journalists spend performing repetitive production and administrative tasks rather than reporting.
“Too many of our journalists do not have enough time to do actual journalism because they are buried in busywork,” Roark said, adding that tasks like transcribing interviews, managing files, navigating content management systems and adapting stories for different platforms often require jugging different apps and platforms.
Roark said research from Caretta found broadcast journalists spend nearly three-quarters of their day on technical workflows instead of reporting. Roark’s own experience at TEGNA demonstrated how collaboration between editorial, production and technical teams could help reduce those burdens through AI-powered newsroom tools.
“At TEGNA, I saw what’s possible when product, technology, and editorial teams come together to build AI tools for journalists: less time lost to repetitive work, and more time and headspace for the real work of journalism,” Roark said.
Roark joined TEGNA in February 2025 as Chief Content Officer, overseeing the company’s local news and content operations. She reported directly to then-CEO Mike Steib. During her tenure, TEGNA expanded its digital news distribution efforts, including the development of dedicated streaming applications offering around-the-clock local news programming.
Roark announced her departure earlier this year, shortly after Nexstar completed its acquisition of TEGNA once it received sign-offs from federal regulators. The transaction is the subject of an antitrust lawsuit filed by DIRECTV and several state attorneys general; while the case plays out, TEGNA is operating separate from Nexstar, despite being a subsidiary.
Before joining TEGNA, Roark held several senior leadership positions at CBS News & Stations, including President of CBS News & Stations. Her responsibilities included oversight of television stations in major markets such as New York and Boston.
