The weight of newsroom trauma is something every journalist knows but few talk about. In this episode, Sara Davenport opens up about the stories that haunted her career and the breaking point that made her realize things had to change.

This conversation also marks the close of Season 1 of Breaking Out of Breaking News. While Sara takes time to support journalists inside the Academy, she’s already preparing a powerful Season 2 filled with guests, new perspectives, and more practical strategies for life beyond the newsroom.

If you’ve ever felt like the job stopped loving you back, this episode will remind you: you’re not alone, and there’s life waiting for you beyond the newsroom.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Journalist Trauma Support Network: https://www.jtsn.org/
• Join the Broadcasters Breakroom: https://www.saradavenport.net/breakroom
• Career Assessment for Journalists: https://www.saradavenport.net/bobn-quiz
• Connect with Sara on LinkedIn
• Email: TVnewsMentor@gmail.com

💡 3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

1. 1. Trauma is cumulative, not occasional. The daily drip of car crashes, fires, and shootings takes its toll, even if you think you’ve “moved on.”
   2. Support can’t wait until tragedy strikes. Every newsroom needs proactive mental health resources, not just temporary help after mass events.
   3. You don’t have to stay stuck. There are resources, networks, and new career paths waiting beyond TV news.

🎧 About the Podcast

Breaking Out of Breaking News is a podcast for burned-out TV news professionals ready to pivot, repurpose their storytelling skills, and design a life they actually love. Hosted by Sara Davenport—a former anchor and media mentor—you’ll get honest conversations, career coaching insights, and real-world inspiration for making your next move.

The red flags were there. Maybe you ignored them. Maybe you didn’t know what to do with them. In this episode, Sara Davenport opens up about the moment she knew she had to leave her top 10 market and how it all unraveled from day one.

More importantly, she walks through the 10 biggest mistakes journalists make when they leave the newsroom. From resume missteps to job search burnout, this episode is packed with the hard truths and practical strategies that every burned-out broadcaster needs to hear.

If you're considering pivoting out of TV or are already in the messy middle, this is your roadmap for a smoother, faster, and more strategic exit.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Career Assessment for Journalists: BreakingOutofBreakingNews.com
• Connect with Sara on LinkedIn
• Email: TVnewsMentor@gmail.com

💡 3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

1. Don’t wait until it’s too late to prep your exit. The red flags don’t lie—and your next chapter requires more than just a polished resume.
2. LinkedIn isn’t a resume—it’s a runway. You need to show up consistently and intentionally before you’re ready to job hunt.
3. You don’t have to go it alone. Trying to figure it all out solo will slow you down. A support system and strategy make all the difference.

🎧 About the Podcast

Breaking Out of Breaking News is a podcast for burned-out TV news professionals ready to pivot, repurpose their storytelling skills, and design a life they actually love. Hosted by Sara Davenport—a former anchor and media mentor—you’ll get honest conversations, career coaching insights, and real-world inspiration for making your next move.

When one media giant swallows another, it’s not just a headline; it’s your career, your newsroom, and the future of local journalism on the line. In this episode, Sara Davenport breaks down the Nexstar–Tegna merger, what it really means for journalists, and why it’s being compared to a Death Star moment for local TV.

From looming layoffs to culture shifts and cookie-cutter content, Sara shares the real impact consolidation has on newsrooms—and what you can do right now to protect yourself. Whether you’re in a Nexstar/Tegna market or just watching from the sidelines, this episode will give you clarity, perspective, and a plan for what’s next.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• If you need help figuring out your first steps to leave TV news, go to saradavenport.net/bobn-quiz for a free assessment
• If you want to work with Sara to design a life you love, and break out of the news business, check out the Academy at https://www.saradavenport.net/academy

💡 3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

1. Layoffs are coming—don’t wait to update your resume. When departments overlap, cuts are inevitable. Don’t just “hope” it’s not you—get proactive and showcase your value outside of TV news.
2. Culture shifts will demand more with less. Nexstar is known for efficiency, not investment. That often means bigger workloads, fewer resources, and newsroom burnout.
3. Local storytelling suffers under consolidation. When one company controls the majority of stations, cookie-cutter content replaces community-driven stories, eroding the very reason viewers tune in to local news.

🎧 About the Podcast

Breaking Out of Breaking News is a podcast for burned-out TV news professionals ready to pivot, repurpose their storytelling skills, and design a life they actually love. Hosted by Sara Davenport—a former anchor and media mentor—you’ll get honest conversations, career coaching insights, and real-world inspiration for making your next move.

If you're stuck in the loop of applying for jobs you know you're qualified for—and still not getting calls back, this episode is for you.

Sara Davenport breaks down the biggest mistakes journalists make on their resumes and how to fix them. It’s not about listing every task you did. It’s about showing how your newsroom experience translates into real value in other industries. You’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and a checklist of newsroom skills hiring managers actually want (but don’t understand... yet).

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Join the Breaking Out of Breaking News Community: Broadcastersbreakroom.com
• Free Career Assessment Test: COUPON CODE for the Test: FREECAREERTEST
• Connect with Sara Davenport - TVnewsMentor@gmail.com
• Need help with your first steps? Check out BreakingOutofBreakingNews.com

💡 3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

1. You’re not just a producer, reporter, or anchor. You’re a crisis communicator, project manager, messaging strategist, and audience expert. It's time your resume reflects that.
2. Stop using TV jargon. Hiring managers outside of news don’t know what you mean by “stacking a show” or “writing a tease.” Translate your skills into corporate language that highlights your value.
3. There are high-value skills you’re probably forgetting to include. From cold outreach to audience engagement to managing chaos on deadline, your newsroom experience is your competitive advantage.

🎧 About the Podcast

Breaking Out of Breaking News is a podcast for burned-out TV news professionals ready to pivot, repurpose their storytelling skills, and design a life they actually love. Hosted by Sara Davenport—a former anchor and media mentor—you’ll get honest conversations, career coaching insights, and real-world inspiration for making your next move.

When long-time meteorologist Craig Setzer was told to say “urgent” more often, despite delivering calm, clear skies, he knew it was time for a change. In this episode, Sara Davenport sits down with Craig to talk about what it’s really like to walk away from a decades-long career in local TV and chart a new course. From teaching and forensic meteorology to landing a role with Royal Caribbean, Craig shares how he leveraged his experience and added new skills to build a life he loves outside the newsroom.

If you’ve ever wondered how to pivot into a meaningful second act (without going back to square one), this conversation will give you both insight and inspiration.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Craig Setzer on LinkedIn
• Free Career Assessment Test: COUPON CODE for the Test: FREECAREERTEST
• Connect with Sara Davenport - TVnewsMentor@gmail.com
• Join the Breaking Out of Breaking News Community: Broadcastersbreakroom.com
• Need help with your first steps? Check out BreakingOutofBreakingNews.com

💡 3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

1. Why building new skills before you leave the newsroom makes your pivot easier (and less scary).
2. How TV professionals can translate “invisible” talents—like quick decision-making and deadline pressure—into standout skills in the corporate world.
3. Why LinkedIn is the best place to start networking, researching new careers, and building your next chapter.

🎧 About the Podcast

Breaking Out of Breaking News is a podcast for burned-out TV news professionals ready to pivot, repurpose their storytelling skills, and design a life they actually love. Hosted by Sara Davenport—a former anchor and media mentor—you’ll get honest conversations, career coaching insights, and real-world inspiration for making your next move.

From ghostwriting on LinkedIn to media training and freelance true crime reporting, Sara Davenport breaks down how burned-out broadcasters can start making real money without leaving their skill set behind. Whether you're still in the news or already pivoting out, this episode is packed with actionable ways to turn your newsroom experience into new income streams that pay more, offer more freedom, and align with your life.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Free Career Assessment Test: COUPON CODE for the Test: FREECAREERTEST
• Connect with Sara Davenport - TVnewsMentor@gmail.com
• Join the Breaking Out of Breaking News Community: Broadcastersbreakroom.com
• Need help with your first steps? Check out BreakingOutofBreakingNews.com

💡 3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

1. Why soft skills like storytelling, communication, and working under pressure are high-income skills and how to pitch them.
   
   
2. Smart, realistic ways to start making money on the side (without launching a full business or becoming an influencer).
   
   
3. The mindset shift that helps you go from underpaid in news… to well-paid and respected in a new role or industry.

🎧 About the Podcast

Breaking Out of Breaking News is a podcast for burned-out TV news professionals ready to pivot, repurpose their storytelling skills, and design a life they actually love. Hosted by Sara Davenport—a former anchor and media mentor—you’ll get honest conversations, career coaching insights, and real-world inspiration for making your next move.

You won’t stay in TV forever—so why wait until burnout makes the decision for you? In this episode, Sara Davenport walks you through five practical and powerful steps to prepare for your career pivot before you hit the breaking point. From letting go of ego to translating your skills into corporate language, she lays out a clear plan to help news professionals start their next chapter with clarity and confidence.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Free Career Assessment Test: COUPON CODE for the Test: FREECAREERTEST
• Connect with Sara Davenport - TVnewsMentor@gmail.com
• Join the Breaking Out of Breaking News Community: Broadcastersbreakroom.com
• Need help with your first steps? Check out BreakingOutofBreakingNews.com

💡 3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

1. Why ego may be holding you back more than helping you during a career transition.
2. Five critical steps to help you pivot out of TV news with strategy, not panic.
3. How to start aligning your LinkedIn, resume, and mindset with your next chapter—not your current role.

🎧 About the Podcast

Breaking Out of Breaking News is a podcast for burned-out TV news professionals ready to pivot, repurpose their storytelling skills, and design a life they actually love. Hosted by Sara Davenport—a former anchor and media mentor—you’ll get honest conversations, career coaching insights, and real-world inspiration for making your next move.

Toxic newsroom culture is driving good journalists out of the industry—and it’s not just about burnout. From denied PTO and invasive comments about appearance, to missed milestones and $21/hour salaries for multi-skilled reporters, the reality of working in TV news is far from the dream many were sold. In this episode, Sara Davenport exposes the culture killers hiding in plain sight, shares personal red flags from her own career, and calls for a shift from sacrifice to sustainability in the newsroom.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Connect with Sara Davenport - TVnewsMentor@gmail.com
• Broadcasters Breakroom: www.broadcastersbreakroom.com
• Join the Breaking Out of Breaking News Community: Broadcastersbreakroom.com
• Take the Free Career Clarity Quiz: BreakingoutofBreakingNews.com

💡 3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

• How the toxic “team player” culture in TV news is costing journalists their health, boundaries, and family time.
• The financial reality of being overworked and underpaid—and why so many are finally saying “enough.”
• Why starting your exit strategy now (before you burn out) is the smartest move you can make.

🎧 About the Podcast

Breaking Out of Breaking News is a podcast for burned-out TV news professionals ready to pivot, repurpose their storytelling skills, and design a life they actually love. Hosted by Sara Davenport—a former anchor and media mentor—you’ll get honest conversations, career coaching insights, and real-world inspiration for making your next move.