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
🎙️ When Breaking News Hits Home: Ellen Leyva on Surviving the Eaton Fire
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
🎙️ When Breaking News Hits Home: Ellen Leyva on Surviving the Eaton Fire
Veteran news anchor Ellen Leyva spent nearly 30 years reporting breaking stories — but nothing prepared her for when breaking news struck her own home. In this conversation, just weeks after her retirement from KABC, Ellen opens up about surviving the Eaton Fire, the emotional toll of seeing her community threatened, and how it redefined her understanding of the news she once reported.
Ellen also reflects on:
· Covering the OJ Simpson trial, 9/11, and decades of history
· Her enduring on-air partnership with David Ono
· Balancing career and motherhood while anchoring the morning show
· Early encounters with Justin Timberlake and Donald Trump
· Why she walked away from the anchor desk
· How painting, travel, and love are shaping her life after news
This is Ellen’s most personal story yet — raw, real, and revealing.
📌 Chapters
00:00 Ellen Leyva's Journey in News Broadcasting
08:58 Memorable Moments in Journalism
11:59 The Dynamics of Anchoring
15:00 Personal Life and Balancing Career
17:59 Life After Retirement and New Beginnings
21:30 A Serendipitous Reunion
23:07 Navigating Life Changes
23:46 The Eaton Fire Experience
28:01 Reflections on Retirement
32:10 Finding Peace and Purpose
35:03 The Art of Transition
38:07 Advice for Aspiring Journalists
👉 Follow Ellen on Instagram: @abc7ellen
🔗 Stay Connected to Life After News
• 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more
• 📺 Watch full episodes: YouTube.com/@LifeAfterNews
• 📱 Instagram: @MrJasonBall & @LifeAfterNewsPod
• 💼 LinkedIn: Jason Ball
• 🏨 Visit: Old Ranch Inn – A boutique retreat in Palm Springs
• 🗞️ Read: Desert Dispatch – Stories of reinvention
• 📅 New Episodes: Every Tuesday
• 🙌 Love the show? Share it with a friend! Give us 5-star ratings!
#EllenLeyva #BreakingNews #EatonFire #LifeAfterNews #NewsAnchor #WildfireSurvivor #WomenInMedia #RetirementJourney #DavidOno #TVJournalism #OJSimpsonTrial #911Coverage #JustinTimberlake #DonaldTrump #CareerTransition #AnchorLife #StorytellingMatters #LifeAfterTV #PersonalGrowth #Reinvention
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.