{"id":114089,"date":"2026-01-07T13:24:30","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/114089\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T13:24:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:24:30","slug":"longtime-san-antonio-tv-news-director-says-hes-been-replaced-by-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/114089\/","title":{"rendered":"Longtime San Antonio TV news director says he’s been replaced by AI"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Credit: Facebook \/ Raymond Silva<\/p>\n

An Emmy-winning director at San Antonio CBS affiliate KENS5 has announced his departure. After 40 years in television, broadcaster Raymond Silva said he\u2019s been replaced by AI.<\/p>\n

Silva shared the reason for his departure in a Monday Facebook post, as reported by My SA<\/a>. He indicated that his departure was neither his decision nor the station\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Rather, he said KENS\u2019s parent company, Tegna, is \u201cmoving in a direction utilizing a system which incorporates AI technology along with automation to eliminate all directors,\u201d My SA reports.<\/p>\n

Tegna is the largest group owner of NBC affiliates nationwide, ahead of Hearst and Sinclair Broadcasting. The media empire operates 64 TV stations in 51 markets. Its 15 Lone Star State stations also include KVUE-TV in Austin, KHOU-TV in Houston and WFAA-TV in Dallas.<\/p>\n

Salva, who works his last day Feb. 18, is only the latest in a string of departures from KENS 5. A prior round of pink slips in February 2025 included director John Allen.<\/p>\n

During the February layoffs<\/a>, Tegna also fired its Verify fact-checking team of 20 journalists and producers assigned to \u201cstop the spread of misinformation.\u201d In March, the station cut four more newsroom jobs<\/a>. Shortly after, longtime anchor Deborah Knapp retired<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During last spring\u2019s downsizing, a Tegna spokesperson told the Current that the layoffs weren\u2019t exclusive to KENS5 but part of sweeping restructuring efforts company-wide involving \u201cinvesting in some areas and scaling back in others.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The year prior, KENS5 cut jobs in its marketing operations in another effort to streamline.<\/p>\n

The layoffs follow the arrival of current Tegna CEO Mike Steib, who took the role in August 2024. A Google alum, Steib is a proponent of embracing AI in the newsroom, encouraging employees to learn how to report, produce and run newscasts with AI, FITSNews reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201c[I] am excited about the many opportunities to leverage technology to enhance\u00a0this service\u00a0and generate substantial value for shareholders,\u201d\u00a0Steib said in a press statement<\/a>\u00a0announcing his hiring. \u201cTegna is incredibly well positioned to seize this moment and build a bright future.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"New\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tAn announcement that Nexstar plans to buy KENS5\u2019s corporate parent comes just four months after the station laid off newsroom staff.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"San\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe layoff also hit other properties owned by broadcast giant Tegna.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Deborah\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tKnapp\u2019s departure after 5 decades in the business follows layoffs at the TV station and downsizing at its parent company.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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