If you’ve found yourself wondering, “Why is everyone leaving WKBT?” you’re not alone. Turnover at local news stations can prompt concern—especially for viewers who’ve grown attached to their favorite anchors and reporters. Start by taking a step back: WGKT, known as News 8 Now in La Crosse, Wisconsin, has indeed seen several familiar faces depart in recent years. But is this a crisis? Or simply the natural rhythm of a dynamic local newsroom?
Understanding why team members move on can give you helpful frameworks for your own business or leadership decisions. Here’s a practical breakdown of what’s happening at WKBT—and some tactics you can borrow if retention or workplace shifts ever land in your lap.
Introduction: WKBT’s Recent Changes in Context
WKBT has long been a mainstay for the Coulee Region community. You probably know it for dependable morning and evening news, school closings, sports, and weather updates. In the last two years, it’s made headlines for a different reason: recognizable anchor and reporter departures.
Let’s clear up a popular misconception right away—this isn’t a coordinated walkout or some widespread scandal. Each departure is rooted in individual decisions, personal goals, or lifestyle changes.
For entrepreneurs and business owners, the story here is about people—and the blend of work-life balance, family priorities, and career growth that shapes every workplace, large or small.
Jennifer Livingston and Mike Thompson: Prioritizing Family, Not Drama
Jennifer Livingston and Mike Thompson were more than just co-anchors at WKBT. They were a husband-and-wife duo, each with over two decades on air. If you watched morning or evening News 8, you know they brought warmth and authenticity to their reports.
After nearly 45 years combined at WKBT, they announced their departure in May 2022. Why leave such established roles? For the same reason many professionals do: family. The couple spoke openly about the difficulty of working opposite schedules—one covering the evenings, the other mornings. Raising children under those conditions became unsustainable.
What’s instructive here is how the station responded. WKBT offered flexibility, understanding, and public support. Livingston and Thompson expressed gratitude for their years at the station and didn’t hint at any negative experience or forced exit.
If you’re leading a small team or business, take note. When trusted colleagues want to reprioritize family or step away, respectful handling matters. Show empathy, communicate clearly, and don’t burn bridges. The goodwill you create helps your brand long after the news cycle has moved on.
Michelle Poedel: Making Space for Passions Beyond Television
Michelle Poedel’s story at WKBT is just as instructive for any career builder. As a meteorologist, she was a familiar face, helping viewers prepare for Wisconsin’s famously unpredictable weather. After a decade on the job, Poedel made a public announcement in 2021: She was leaving her full-time post.
Her reasons? A mix of wanting to nurture a side business—she’s an avid photographer—and a need to spend more time with her family. Illustrative for entrepreneurs out there: Many of us will eventually want to stretch, learn, and explore beyond our day job.
Poedel wasn’t fleeing a bad work environment. There was no news of internal conflict or toxic culture. Instead, she saw an opportunity to follow other interests. For businesses and managers everywhere, Poedel’s move is a helpful reminder. Encourage growth, even if it sometimes means alumni move on. Maybe someone on your team is considering part-time work or a lateral shift. Offer mentorship, and find ways to keep relationships strong—some may even return later with new skills or as champion networkers.
Rob Schiff: Following Love and New Career Paths
Sports Director Rob Schiff’s departure rounds out the list of recent WKBT changes. Schiff joined News 8 in 2022, quickly becoming a voice for local high school and college sports fans. By June 2024, he announced he was leaving both the region and the role.
His move was motivated by two classic life changes—personal relationships and a new professional direction. Schiff’s girlfriend lives out west, and he decided to relocate and pursue an opportunity in teaching broadcasting and journalism. There’s no public evidence he was dissatisfied with WKBT, or that station-wide issues pushed him out.
For you as a founder, side hustler, or leader, Schiff’s story teaches several things:
1. Life outside the office matters—partners, family, and passions shape our biggest decisions.
2. Opportunity cost is real: Even dream jobs eventually give way to new possibilities, especially as people’s lives shift.
3. Employees rarely leave in waves for a single reason. Instead, each exit connects to unique goals.
A simple way to prepare for these transitions is to create flexible exit paths. Help leavers leave well—they might refer terrific replacements or even become clients or partners.
Common Reasons Behind WKBT Departures
So, why are several familiar faces leaving WKBT? Analyze their exit announcements and you’ll find a clear pattern—not just at News 8, but at many local broadcasters:
- Work-life balance: Odd hours and high demands often clash with family life. This tension grows as people’s home priorities evolve.
- Pursuit of new interests or career transitions: Loved ones relocate, interests change, or new opportunities beckon. The chance to run a small business, teach, or shift industries is always tempting.
- Personal or lifestyle changes: Aging parents, kids reaching new milestones, or burnout can prompt change—even if the current job is fulfilling.
If you run a company, recognize these patterns don’t always signal a brewing crisis. Instead, they often show your team members are human. Openly discuss long-term goals during performance reviews, and don’t treat every exit as a failure.
Consider scheduling quarterly check-ins focused on life goals—not just work deliverables. Help chart career paths, offer job shadowing, and suggest resources so employees feel in control of their journey.
Local News Turnover: Typical or Unusual?
You might still wonder if there’s a deeper issue at WKBT. Is there a secret management shake-up or negative workplace drama? Investigate reported sources and the answer appears clear: No.
There’s no evidence of layoffs, toxic leadership, financial crisis, or mass walkouts at News 8 Now. Current reporting frames each recent departure as an independent, personal decision. That aligns with industry data. Local broadcast news, like many small businesses, sees frequent turnover. Anchors and reporters often move to larger markets, jump into related industries, or make lateral moves toward better lifestyle fits.
Pro tip: Stay alert for true warning signs (like many people citing the same grievance, or evidence of mismanagement). But don’t panic if your organization experiences periodic exits rooted in individual growth stories.
If you’re interested in more ways to support employees and build strong teams even during change, resources at Business Benching offer frameworks for retention and communication. Use these to set up smooth transitions and less stressful future departures.
What WKBT’s Experience Teaches Us About Managing Change
Whether you’re leading a newsroom in Wisconsin or launching a startup from your kitchen table, the lesson is the same: Change is normal. The best leaders expect staff turnover and see it as both a challenge and chance.
Start by mapping out your team’s likely needs. Who’s approaching a big life milestone? Who might want a new skill or side hustle? Treat these check-ins as a chance to support—not to pry or control.
Next, build redundancy. Cross-train team members, document processes, and avoid depending on just one person. When someone like a lead anchor leaves, coverage and quality don’t need to suffer.
You’ll also want to celebrate alumni. Keep past team members looped in on wins, and invite them back for mentorship or community features. Every departure can be a testimony to your company culture—if you handle it with respect and authenticity.
Lastly, use these transitions to refresh your mission. Ask for staff input, revisit your company values, and find ways to foster belonging and engagement for both the old and new.
Conclusion: Turnover Isn’t a Crisis—It’s an Opportunity for Growth
Why is everyone leaving WKBT? The honest answer: People aren’t really leaving en masse, they’re making individual choices shaped by life and ambition. Longtime anchors like Jennifer Livingston and Mike Thompson wanted more family time. Professionals like Michelle Poedel and Rob Schiff sought passion projects, new careers, or serious relationships.
This pattern is normal, both in media and any tight-knit organization. No evidence suggests broader trouble at WKBT—a helpful point to calm worries.
When people move on, see it as a prompt for learning. Create open conversations about goals, support flexible exits, and keep the door open for alumni. By approaching these changes just as WKBT appears to have done—openly and constructively—you’ll turn transitions into launching pads for new possibilities.
So, whether you’re navigating staff turnover or pondering a big move yourself, remember: Every career chapter offers a chance for growth—for individuals and organizations alike. Start by defining your next big goal, then take small, steady steps toward it. With transparent communication and a people-first approach, you’ll weather any change with confidence.
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