If you follow local news in Eastern North Carolina, you may have noticed quite a few changes at WITN News lately. Anchors, producers, and even a news director have all left within a fairly short window. It’s natural to wonder if there’s some big, hidden factor driving this wave of departures. Let’s clarify the real situation, break down what’s happened, and show you what these changes reveal—about both WITN and the television news world.
Start by understanding: there is no single crisis or scandal behind the recent departures at WITN News. Each exit comes with its own story and motivation. Whether you’re studying industry trends or just curious about your favorite local faces, it helps to look at each departure up close.
Key Departures at WITN and Their Reasons
You’ll often see people leave local newsrooms for highly practical, personal, and even uplifting reasons—rather than because of any one workplace problem. Here’s a closer look at the people behind some of the most asked-about changes at WITN News.
Hannah Jeffries: Personal Growth and a New Calling
Anchor Hannah Jeffries left WITN News in 2022. Her decision sprang from a season of personal and religious reflection. Jeffries spoke openly about struggling to balance her professional identity with her personal beliefs and sense of purpose.
She shared that a renewed commitment to her faith led her down a different road. Rather than staying in television, Jeffries chose to launch a Christian-focused women’s podcast. This wasn’t an exit due to toxic culture or a bad boss—just the pursuit of something that fit her skills and beliefs better.
A simple way to understand this: career paths aren’t always about moving up. Sometimes, it’s about pivoting to something more meaningful.
Jacyn Abbott: Returning Home for Family
Next, consider Jacyn Abbott. Abbott anchored WITN’s morning show until January 2025, then announced she was moving to Alabama for a new role. In her farewell messages, Abbott cited homesickness and a strong desire to be closer to family.
Jobs in news, especially TV news, often mean moving far from your roots. Homesickness is real, and for many, the chance to return home outweighs most professional advantages. Abbott thanked her coworkers and viewers warmly, making it clear her decision was not about any internal issue, but rather about reconnecting with family.
Pro tip: If you’re building a team or contemplating your own next step, recognize how much location and family matter to career decisions.
Deric Rush: Classic Career Advancement
If you’ve ever wondered why local TV feels like a revolving door, Deric Rush’s story offers a classic example. Rush left WITN to accept a bigger opportunity at another news outlet in Columbia, South Carolina.
This is incredibly common in the broadcasting industry. Reporters and anchors often start in smaller markets, then move up to larger roles as they gain more experience. Stations expect this kind of turnover, and staff often view these moves as necessary steps toward a national career.
As you grow your own business or explore new ventures, consider your own ladder. What does moving up look like for you?
Lauren Baker: Departure Without Public Detail
Lauren Baker, another recent anchor, signed off after about two years at WITN. Unlike the others, she did not publicly share her reasons. This happens often in news, too—sometimes departures happen quietly for private reasons, ranging from contract cycles to personal life changes.
It’s not always possible (or appropriate) to know every detail. If you’re following this story as a fan or peer, give people space to move in their own way.
Stephanie Shoop: A Staff Tragedy, Not a Resignation
Perhaps the most impactful change came with the unexpected passing of News Director Stephanie Shoop. This was a deep loss for the staff both personally and professionally. Shoop’s death was not connected to any job dissatisfaction or resignation—just a sudden and tragic event that reminded many in the newsroom of the fragility of life, no matter the workplace.
When a leader passes away suddenly, teams can be shaken. But this isn’t about “everyone leaving”—it’s about honoring a colleague and regrouping together.
Industry Trends: Why Turnover Runs High in Local TV News
You’ll also want to zoom out and see the bigger picture. Is WITN unique, or does high turnover happen everywhere? The answer: Local television newsrooms like WITN see more staff turnover than you’ll notice in most industries.
Here are some common patterns behind the movement:
- Career Progression: News jobs are often stepping stones. Producers, anchors, and reporters start local, then go to bigger cities as their portfolios grow.
- Geography and Lifestyle: TV news jobs often require moving far from family. As pay in local news isn’t always high, people often relocate when better geography or circumstances line up.
- Personal Life Changes: These include everything from marriage and family needs to health and faith—major drivers in any high-turnover field.
- Standard Industry Churn: Contracts in news tend to last 1-3 years. Once a term wraps, people reevaluate their next chapters.
For example, anchors in small markets often work weekends and holidays. As people rise in their careers, some roles become stepping stones, while others burn out. This is completely standard in the world of broadcast journalism.
Pro tip: If you’re building a team in a high-turnover industry, focus on great onboarding and frequent career check-ins. High churn isn’t always a symptom of failure—sometimes it’s a healthy sign of professional growth.
Summary: What’s Really Behind the Recent Departures?
Let’s review the true reasons driving WITN’s visible staff turnover. Each case has its own unique flavor:
- Personal Growth and Religious Calling: Like Hannah Jeffries, some exit for mission-driven reasons that don’t fit neatly into a traditional job description.
- Desire to Be Closer to Home: Abbott’s move home underlines how location and family still matter, even in a digital age.
- Career Advancement Within the Industry: Rush’s exit is a textbook example of climbing the career ladder in media.
- Standard Industry Churn: Unknowns like Lauren Baker’s show how some turnover is simply “usual business” in TV news.
- Tragedy, Not Resignation: The loss of Stephanie Shoop affected staff deeply but wasn’t driven by job frustration or controversy.
A simple way to put it: WITN’s changes reflect what you’ll see at countless other local TV newsrooms each year. The faces may be familiar, but the reasons behind each shift are as individual as the people themselves.
Is There Anything Unusual at WITN News?
If you’ve heard rumors or social media claims about a “mass exodus,” pause before jumping to conclusions. After a review of public sources, there’s no external evidence of systemic issues, internal conflict, or scandal tying these departures together.
Instead, what you’re seeing is typical for the broadcast world. You’ll find similar changes at other stations, small businesses, or organizations where growth, mobility, and personal life overlap.
Want another real-world comparison? Small businesses face similar waves when team members hit new life stages, whether that’s chasing growth or stepping back for family. The smart move: Prepare ahead for turnover, celebrate those who move forward, and keep focusing on the next right hire.
What Can You Learn (or Apply) from This as a Business Builder?
If you’re an entrepreneur, news consumer, or simply someone shaping a career, there are useful lessons here. Start by:
- Expecting regular staff movement in any field with high ambition and mobility
- Supporting open, honest departures—these signal trust and good management
- Investing in onboarding, mentorship, and succession planning so that key roles don’t stay empty for long
- Framing exits as potential boomerangs; often, talented people return down the road with higher skills
For deeper playbooks on hiring, turnover handling, or scaling a growing operation, check out Business Benching. You’ll find tangible, step-by-step advice for owners and operators facing both growth and turnover cycles.
Final Thoughts: Healthy Turnover, Healthy Teams
It’s easy to jump at headlines or wonder if something’s wrong when several people leave in a row. But a little research gives a better view. At WITN News, these departures spring from understandable human stories—faith, family, career, and sometimes heartbreak, as with Stephanie Shoop’s passing.
For every founder, manager, or would-be leader: Expect change. Cultivate an environment where people can leave well—and sometimes come back. Find the lesson in each move: whether it’s clearer onboarding, better check-ins, or openness to remote or flexible roles.
Keep your news feed—and your team—moving forward by focusing on what really matters: trust, growth, and the stories you help others tell.
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