Life After News
What happens when the newsroom lights go out—and life begins again?
Life After News explores the raw, funny, and deeply human stories of journalists who’ve walked away from the adrenaline of breaking news to reinvent themselves in surprising ways. Hosted by former TV news director Jason Ball, the podcast goes behind the headlines to talk with anchors, reporters, producers, and executives about identity, resilience, and what it takes to start over.
From career pivots to personal awakenings, these conversations reveal how the skills learned under deadline pressure translate into entirely new chapters of life. It’s not just about leaving the news—it’s about discovering what comes after.
Whether you’re in media, on the edge of a career change, or just fascinated by reinvention, Life After News is your invitation to listen in, learn, and maybe imagine your own next chapter.
Life After News
🎙️ Breaking News: Why Jackie Johnson Left TV & Started The Weather Chef
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🎙️ Breaking News: Why Jackie Johnson Left TV & Started The Weather Chef
What happens when a lifelong dream collides with a life-altering reality? In this episode, Jason Ball talks with Jackie Johnson McBride, a former broadcast meteorologist whose journey took her from high-intensity newsrooms to the peaceful rhythms of small-town life and seasonal cooking.
From her childhood goal of becoming a meteorologist to navigating the high-pressure world of Los Angeles television, Jackie shares what it was like to step off the news set and into the world of motherhood. She opens up about the tough decision to leave her career, the unexpected joys of Santa Barbara life, and how a love of weather and food gave birth to The Weather Chef.
🌤️ Highlights:
- Jackie’s childhood dream: chasing clouds and careers
- The leap from meteorology to television broadcasting
- The grind of fast-paced news in Miami and L.A.
- Why she walked away from the camera to become a present mom
- The emotional pull of the newsroom—and why she still misses it
- How motherhood shaped her resilience and sense of identity
- The birth of The Weather Chef: where recipes meet weather patterns
- Seasonal eating and slowing down during the pandemic
- Staying authentic through life’s transitions
- Advice for young professionals: put in the work, and love what you do
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- 💼 LinkedIn: Jason Ball
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Let Life After News inspire your next chapter. Because leaving the news doesn’t mean the story’s over—it means a new one’s just beginning.