Taking My Ball and Going....

Yesterday, FTVLive was the FIRST to tell you that KTLA News Director Jason Ball is leaving the station.

Ball held a staff meeting and said that it was his decision to leave the Nexstar station.

At first, word was that he was going to stay through the important Feb book, but now sources tell FTVLive that he is leaving the station on Feb. 5th.

Ball has been with KTLA since 2008 and station insiders say that entertainment was his passion, more so than news. Ball turned KTLA’s news into an entertainment-focused product and even launched a couple of shows that put the spotlight on entertainment over news.

He launched a couple of podcasts, one called the News Director’s Office and a second one about the sitcom Friends.

Insiders at the station said Ball played favorites and if you were on his good side, you could get away with just about anything.

A number of KTLA on-air talent used their social media to pitch products, which was clearly against Nexstar policy. While the staff would be told they can’t do that, many continued to do so and faced no repercussions.

FTVLive has highlighted how many of the staff at KTLA seemed to ignore the CDC guidelines and company policy when it came to the COVID pandemic. KTLA has been hit hard with a large number of staffers testing positive for the virus. A few insiders blame Ball for not being more diligent in that area.

Talking to insiders at the station, it is split on the feelings of Ball leaving the station. A number of people were sad to hear the news that he is leaving, while others say good riddance.

Of course, being the fact that this is TV news, some wonder is he really resigning, or was he pushed out?

The fact that this is the communications business, and TV news is one of the worst at communicating when it comes to talking about themselves, we will likely never know the answer.

Ball has not said what he is doing next?

Word is that Assistant News Director Kerry Brace will be assuming the ND job, until a full-time replacement is named.