There is no shortage of challenges when it comes to working in television news. Deadlines, long hours, and tragic stories can be the norm 24/7. Heavy stuff, but not the hardest thing about this job. The hardest thing about working in TV news is turnover. It happens in all walks of business, but it seems to happen more often in TV. The average shelf life of a local television news employee working at one station is about 3 years. I don't have a study to reference here, it just seems to be the average based on my observation the past 15 years. It's not easy to watch good people walk away after 3 years, but it's understandable. TV news is like a ladder. The higher up you go, the more money and opportunity. Most of the young reporters and producers see KAKE as a step on the ladder. A place to grow as a journalist before taking the next step to a larger market or more lucrative job. We lost a few this week, including a guy who called KAKE home for the past 13 years. Good people. That's the hardest thing about this job. Working with good people, and then bidding them farewell. Lucky for me, KAKE seems to have a talent for replacing good people with good people. We have 3 or 4 rookies running around here. They are all fantastic. Hard working and talented folks. It won't be easy saying goodbye to them .. in about 3 years.