She survived the elements, conquered the competition and made reality television history as the only winner to play in back-to-back seasons.
Now, Atlanta’s champion is coming home.
Gray Media's Atlanta News First is thrilled to announce that Savannah Louie, the recently crowned winner of “Survivor” Season 49 and current Season 50 competitor, is returning to the network as a new host of its premier daily lifestyle show, "ATL Live."
A beloved and familiar face to Atlanta viewers, Louie previously spent several years as an anchor and reporter for Atlanta News First before stepping away to compete on the hit reality competition series. Having secured her victory as the season’s ultimate champion, Louie is bringing her adventurous spirit, vibrant personality and deep love for the local community back to the ANF studios.
The innovative partnership with Atlanta News First highlights a modern approach to television talent. The unique deal allows Louie to bring her massive national platform to local daytime television while continuing her thriving, multi-faceted career as a digital creator, public speaker, reality TV competitor and national host.
“I have been on the adventure of a lifetime, but there truly is no place like home,” said Louie. “Atlanta has always had my heart. Rejoining the incredible team at Atlanta News First feels like a true homecoming, and I cannot wait to connect with our community every day on ‘ATL Live’ to celebrate everything that makes this city so vibrant.”
Viewers can catch Louie’s highly anticipated return to television on June 1. “ATL Live” airs weekdays at 10 a.m., with “ATL Live Extra” airing at 2 p.m. on Atlanta News First.
Gray Media announced that Joanie Vasiliadis will join the company in the new role of Senior Vice President for Transformation on June 1, 2026. Gray selected this accomplished media and content executive to accelerate the company’s on-going digital transformation of its content gathering, creation, workflow and distribution initiatives.
Joanie brings more than a decade of experience driving growth across digital, streaming and broadcast platforms, with deep expertise in editorial strategy, product integration, audience development and organizational change. She’s known for building high-performing teams, creating scalable workflows and pairing strong editorial judgment with data-driven decision-making.
Gray Media today promoted news industry veteran James Finch to the new role of Senior Vice President of News Services. This promotion reflects James’ immense contributions to the company in various roles over thirty years and his expanding portfolio of responsibilities for serving Gray’s expanding ranks of journalists and local news television stations, as well as a significantly increasing number of local news programs across a growing number of distribution platforms.
James has worked for Gray and predecessor companies for the past 30 years. As the Vice President of News Services for the past 10 years, James has served as the primary corporate liaison for our news directors and has managed the critical relationships with the vendors and suppliers of our news technology and third-party content. He launched our successful newsroom training program that provides onboarding and advanced skills training for reporters, photographers and producers.
Previously, James Finch has served as local station news director, a corporate regional news director, and a journalism trainer. He is a former active-duty U.S. Marine who began his journey in journalism as a military correspondent serving newspapers and the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service overseas. His industry certifications include a fellowship with the Carole Kneeland Project for Responsible Journalism and completing the NAB Education Foundation’s ten-month Broadcast Leadership Training Program for aspiring station executives and owners.
Gray Media today announced its financial results for the first quarter that ended
March 31, 2026.
Hilton Howell, Jr., Executive Chairman and CEO, commented, “Our first quarter 2026 results were solid, with Core Advertising exceeding our guidance and Political revenue at the high end of our guidance range. A recently resolved dispute with a distribution partner impacted our Net Retransmission Revenue for the quarter. With all scheduled 2026 retransmission negotiations now complete and the improvement in underlying MVPD subscriber trends, we now have visibility on our growth in Net Retransmission Revenue for full year 2026."
Read the full results on graymedia.com.
Gray Media has named Nicole Lewis as the next General Manager/Director of Sales for KBTX, the CBS affiliate in Bryan-College Station, Texas, effective May 4, 2026.
Nicole is a senior media sales leader with 30+ years of experience building high-performing broadcast and digital revenue organizations and delivering growth across major markets. Most recently, Lewis served as Sales Manager at WKMG (CBS) in Orlando.
Gray Media today announced the launch of the Star-Spangled Sing-Off, a groupwide contest inviting Americans to submit their best solo, a cappella performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Nashville to film a performance that will air on Gray stations across the country. The contest opens May 1 at participating Gray Media station websites.
The Star-Spangled Sing-Off is part of Gray's "We the People" initiative, a company-wide celebration honoring America's semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026.
🎉 Congratulations to Kirk Williams, Programming Director, on an incredible career and a well-earned retirement!
After nearly 38 years at WFIE @14News , Kirk leaves behind a legacy of dedication, creativity, and leadership in local broadcasting. We’re grateful for the wisdom and steady guidance Kirk shared throughout his career, and proud to celebrate this milestone with him at Gray Media.
Wishing you all the best in this next chapter, Kirk. Enjoy every minute of retirement! #GrayProud
🏆 Please join us in congratulating @WTOKTV Anchor and Reporter Lindsey Hall on receiving the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Television Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the highest honors in Mississippi broadcasting!
With nearly 40 years in the industry and the majority of those years dedicated to the WTOK family and the communities they serve, Lindsey is the very definition of what local journalism is all about. This recognition is so incredibly well deserved.
We are so proud to have someone of Lindsey's caliber representing Gray Media. Congratulations! #GrayProud
👏 Please join us in congratulating Alan Uerling on an incredible 45 years of service with @KSNBLocal4 . We’re proud to celebrate this achievement with Alan and grateful for the example he sets every day at Gray Media. Congratulations, Alan, and thank you for 45 remarkable years! #GrayProud
From the rink to the pitch to the gridiron, North Star Sports and Entertainment Network has Minnesota covered. We're bringing local college and professional sports to fans across Rochester, Mankato, and Duluth!
University of Minnesota Duluth hockey. Minnesota State Mavericks football. Minnesota United Soccer. This is what happens when local broadcasting meets local passion.
We’re proud to support an initiative that not only expands access to live and replayed games, but also strengthens the bond between teams, schools, and the audiences who cheer them on. #GrayProud
Gray Media proudly celebrates two outstanding members of the @WLBT3OnYourSide family on their 10-year work anniversaries:
- Kristal Howell, Director of Sales
- Crystal Kirby, Managing Editor
Kristal and Crystal, your commitment to excellence and your contributions to WLBT over the past decade have been truly invaluable. Thank you for everything you do for your team, your station, and the Jackson community. We're so lucky to have you both! #GrayProud
Gray Media proudly celebrates Clyde Walker, @WDAMtv Director of Technology, on his 15th work anniversary! For 15 years, Clyde has kept the building, IT infrastructure, and transmission systems humming along, ensuring the WDAM team can serve their community. Congratulations on this incredible milestone, Clyde. Thank you for everything! #GrayProud
