The End of an Era: Reflecting on My TV News Career

June 2, 2019, marks a significant milestone in my TV news career—it was my last day in the business. This chapter of my life was incredibly stressful. During this period, we had moved into a home in Pittsburg, Kansas, and I was in Kansas City for the weekend to return the keys for our townhome and retrieve the last items for our move. I worked that weekend to assist my boss with the weekend shift, balancing my time between KSHB-TV on weekends and Pitt State during the week.

My final story was a tough one: a shooting in Kansas City, Kansas, involving a child who, fortunately, survived. As a parent of three, covering such stories was particularly challenging. I remember leaving Kansas City that day, heading back to Pittsburg, feeling a mix of relief and sadness. One aspect I disliked about news was the constant feeling of work never ending, with breaking news capable of disrupting plans at any moment. I certainly wouldn't miss working holidays and odd hours, which often meant missing precious time with my family.

Despite the challenges, I was grateful for the opportunities this career provided. There are moments when I miss the unpredictability of not knowing what story I’d cover each day. Being a TV news photographer was a core part of my identity, and it felt strange to realize that I would no longer hold that title. It was also interesting to note that I had begun my TV news career in June 2006, exactly 13 years earlier.