KARE 11, the Tegna-owned NBC affiliate in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, is undergoing significant changes in its newsroom following a wave of nationwide layoffs at Tegna stations. In November 2023, several veteran journalists, including 18-year anchor Alicia Lewis, announced their departures. Lewis cited a desire to spend more time with her family. Other notable exits included meteorologist Sven Sundgaard, who joined a local radio station, and morning news anchor Cory Hepola, who launched a digital platform focused on Minnesota politics called “Next Week Minnesota.”

The restructuring is part of Tegna’s efforts to consolidate resources and focus on digital platforms, a trend across the broadcast industry facing challenges from changing viewer habits and economic pressures. Around a dozen positions were reportedly eliminated at KARE 11, affecting various departments. To stabilize its flagship broadcast, KARE 11 promoted Kylie Madison to the 6pm anchor role, alongside co-anchor Randy Como. Madison previously worked as a multi-skilled journalist within the station.

As KARE 11 navigates this transition, it is emphasizing investigative reporting, digital content through its KARE11+ streaming service, and its commitment to covering local news, weather, and sports. The changes coincide with ongoing negotiations between Tegna and the WGA East union, representing KARE 11 journalists, over contract terms, including job security and workload concerns. The union has expressed concerns about the impact of cost-cutting measures on local journalism quality.

Despite the upheaval, KARE 11 remains a leading news source in the area, committed to in-depth local coverage and leveraging its digital presence to reach a broader audience. The station’s future, along with the rest of local television news in Minneapolis, remains uncertain as it adapts to industry-wide changes while striving to maintain its position as a trusted news provider.