Nexstar CTO Brett Jenkins retirement triggers executive shift and advisory transition

The departure of a key architect behind Nexstar's digital infrastructure signals a shift from deployment to operational maturity for the nation's largest local station owner. By retaining Jenkins as an advisor for Edgebeam Wireless, Nexstar ensures continuity for its nascent spectrum-as-a-service revenue streams while reallocating internal digital oversight. This move reflects a broader trend where traditional broadcasters are integrating technical leadership directly into core business operations rather than siloed departments. Watch for how Nexstar reallocates Jenkins' former responsibilities to Michael Biard's team to accelerate the commercialization of ATSC 3.0 data services.

Nexstar Media Group has been one of the most aggressive broadcasters in deploying ATSC 3.0 across its station portfolio. The company's lighthouse stations in major markets have served as testing grounds for NextGen TV features including 4K HDR broadcasting and interactive data services. Nexstar launched ATSC 3.0 signals in more than 40 markets by early 2025, making it the largest broadcaster by station count to carry the standard. The retirement of Brett Jenkins, who architected that rollout, raises questions about whether Nexstar will maintain the same pace of NextGen TV feature deployment or shift toward monetization of existing infrastructure.

On the business side, Nexstar's Edgebeam Wireless joint venture represents a bet on monetizing broadcast spectrum for non-traditional uses. Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group formed Edgebeam Wireless in 2024 to explore spectrum-as-a-service opportunities, targeting applications in IoT connectivity and private wireless networks. The venture sits at the intersection of broadcast spectrum policy and telecom infrastructure, a space where the FCC has signaled openness to flexible-use models. The FCC's 2024 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on broadcast spectrum flexibility opened the door for broadcasters to lease unused capacity for data services, directly benefiting companies like Nexstar that hold large spectrum portfolios. Jenkins' continued advisory role on Edgebeam suggests Nexstar views the venture as strategically important enough to retain institutional knowledge through the transition.

From a technical and competitive standpoint, ATSC 3.0 adoption among broadcasters remains uneven. The ATSC 3.0 ecosystem saw 75% of U.S. TV households covered by at least one NextGen TV signal by mid-2025, according to industry tracking data, but consumer device penetration and advertiser adoption have lagged behind signal availability. Nexstar's CTV application development, another area Jenkins oversaw, positions the company to capture streaming ad revenue through its own apps rather than relying solely on retransmission and spot advertising. Nexstar's streaming revenue grew 22% year-over-year in Q2 2025, driven by its free ad-supported streaming tier and programmatic ad sales. The incoming leadership under Michael Biard will need to balance continued ATSC 3.0 investment against near-term streaming monetization pressures.