# Tegna Appoints Mellynda Hartel President and GM of WTLV, WJXX and WTSP

> Tegna named Mellynda Hartel president and general manager of WTLV, WJXX and WTSP, giving the broadcaster a 30-year television executive to run its Florida stations.

- Published: 2026-10-26T17:40:04+00:00
- Section: Leadership
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-26/tegna-mellynda-hartel-florida-stations
- Source: [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/26/3388452/0/en/tegna-recruits-seasoned-television-executive-mellynda-hartel-to-lead-florida-stations.html)

## Key takeaways

- Mellynda Hartel becomes president and general manager of Tegna's WTLV, WJXX and WTSP stations in Florida.
- Hartel spent more than 30 years in television and most recently ran FOX stations KTVU and KICU in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Tegna appointed Tim Thomas to lead WXIA, WATL and WMAZ on October 16, 2026, succeeding Kristie Gonzales.

[Tegna](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000237m/tegna) named Mellynda Hartel president and general manager of its three Florida stations, WTLV, WJXX and WTSP, the company said on October 26, 2026. The appointment, announced by [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/26/3388452/0/en/tegna-recruits-seasoned-television-executive-mellynda-hartel-to-lead-florida-stations.html), covers the NBC and ABC affiliates in Jacksonville known as First Coast News and the CBS affiliate in Tampa.

## Hartel's Role Across First Coast News and WTSP

Hartel brings more than 30 years of experience leading television business operations, revenue strategy and teams across major U.S. media markets, according to the announcement. She most recently served as senior vice president and general manager of FOX television stations KTVU and KICU in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her career includes executive and sales leadership positions in San Francisco, Phoenix, Boston and Washington, D.C.

Joan Barrett, group general manager for Tegna's Northeast and Southeast regions, said: "Mellynda is a highly respected leader in our industry, known for her strategic vision, ability to develop strong teams and track record of driving growth and innovation." Barrett said Hartel's experience and passion for local media would help strengthen the company's connection with Florida communities, grow audiences and create opportunities for advertising partners.

Hartel said First Coast News and WTSP are among Tegna's strongest stations, with newsrooms that have earned the trust of their communities. "I'm eager to help them build on that legacy by creating new opportunities for our viewers to access trusted content and new solutions for our business partners," she said. Hartel holds a BA in Business Communications from Bryant University and resides in St. Petersburg, Florida.

## Tegna's Leadership Changes in 2026

Tegna's akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data) show Patrick Paolini was appointed chief executive officer effective June 1, 2026, joining from FOX Television Stations, where he had been executive vice president of advertising sales since 2023. The same records show Kurt Rao was elevated to a newly created role of executive vice president and chief technology and digital products officer, unifying product, technology, engineering and operations across broadcast, streaming, mobile and digital platforms. Tegna operates 64 local television stations in 51 U.S. markets, according to the same records.

## Earlier Tegna Station Leadership Moves

On October 16, 2026, Tegna appointed Tim Thomas to lead WXIA, WATL and WMAZ, succeeding Kristie Gonzales, Stock Titan reported. Thomas previously led Tegna Florida and has over two decades of media leadership, and he will oversee station operations and drive advertiser results. On August 14, 2026, Tegna said its stations won four National Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in broadcast journalism, Stock Titan reported.

## Tegna's Florida Station Appointments

Tegna announced the Hartel appointment on October 26, 2026, and the company's Florida stations include WTLV and WJXX in Jacksonville and WTSP in Tampa.

## Companies in this story

- [Tegna company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000237m/tegna) · website: http://www.tegna.com

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