Jay Wallis left WFAA 8 Dallas-Fort Worth after more than six years in 2025 and was promoted to lead producer of Growth for TEGNA in April 2026.
"It’s a creative and collaborative opportunity to help lead a new corporate team focused on developing original digital content, supporting major coverage across the country, and finding new ways to grow audiences," Wallis posted.
Wallis most recently served as executive producer, digital video coordinator and multimedia journalist at WFAA from July 2023 to September 2025. In that role, he led the station's digital video initiatives, launched original programming for WFAA+, and was named WFAA's Innovator of the Year in 2024 for his work on digital transformation and audience growth. He also worked as a multimedia journalist, reporting on sports and general assignment stories, earning multiple honors from the National Press Photographers Association and a 2020 Lone Star Emmy nomination.
Following his time at WFAA, Wallis joined TEGNA's Growth team in September 2025 as a growth producer, developing platform-native content and audience growth strategies across the company's stations. He was promoted to lead producer, growth, in April 2026, where he oversees the creative development of original digital video franchises, long-form streaming content, and cross-platform storytelling initiatives across TEGNA's nationwide portfolio.
Before joining WFAA, Wallis spent three years as a multimedia journalist at KVUE in Austin, where he earned three consecutive Lone Star Emmy nominations and launched a podcast explaining the news production process.
Earlier in his career, Wallis worked as bureau chief at KYTX CBS19 in Tyler-Longview, where he anchored and produced the Sunday newscast while covering major news stories across East Texas. He also served as an editorial assistant for SLAM magazine, contributing to SLAMonline.com, SLAM Magazine, and SLAM Radio.
Wallis began his broadcasting career at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri, where he worked as a sports anchor, reporter, producer, and news reporter while attending the University of Missouri. During college, he also interned with Mizzou Athletics, the Frisco RoughRiders, and KBIA 91.3 FM.
He graduated from the University of Missouri in 2015 with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in Radio and Television News.
