Kurt Rao

Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, TEGNA INC

Search every verified Kurt Rao interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a September 2023 interview at the NAB Show, Kurt Rao, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Tegna, discussed the company's use of video analytics. He described Tegna as a local broadcaster with 64 television stations producing about 14 hours of content daily, distributed across antenna, digital, cable, and satellite platforms. Rao stated that while linear television remains the core business with the largest audience, the company is increasing its digital focus to understand consumer behavior and content preferences within local communities. Rao emphasized the critical role of data, describing it as "a new currency in media." He noted that the company aims to connect diverse data sources—such as DSP exhaust, website visits, and CTV app usage—to inform decisions on content production and consumer engagement. He identified cultural and people adoption as the biggest challenges in technology rollout, rather than the technology itself. Rao also discussed the need for flexible platforms that can adapt to different broadcasters' internal processes, rather than forcing organizations to change to fit a one-size-fits-all system.