On Friday, FTVLive showed you a post from KXLY (Spokane) News Director Melissa Luck in which she talks about leaving work early to go to her kid’s soccer game. Read that story here.

After posting the story, Luck responded to the FTVLive story with another post.

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First off, she writes that I “didn’t like” her post, despite the fact that I said that I agreed with her.

I did say that, as a Journalist, if you want normal hours you can go work at a bank. I still stand by that comment.

The point of my story was it is great that Luck is able to ditch work early to go watch her kids play soccer. But, I also asked, what about the people that work for her? Are they able to leave work when they want? Can the 6 PM producer get up and walk out at 4 PM to go pick their kid up from school, take them to the zoo, and just blow off the 6 PM newscast?

One person tried to point out to Luck, that the FTVLive story did not say what she claimed and she responded.

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Another small market News Director chimed in in support of Luck.

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While I think it is great that Luck seems to put her personal life first and her claims that she also lets her staff do the same, I’m not sure this could really work in real word Journalism.

Just looking back on stories I have covered in the past. Wildfires in California, riots, numerous hurricanes, along with many other stories.

But let’s use a hurricane as an example here.

Say, there is a massive hurricane bearing down on us here in Jacksonville.

Now, anyone that has covered a storm, knows this is an all hands on deck type situation. Now, what happens when the News Director says, I need to be home with my family as we go through this storm? So, she leaves. Then the Anchors also have their kids and home and they also think that is more important, so they leave as well.

The Chief Meteorologist also leaves to be with their spouse and kids.

The Producers also get up and leave to go home where they feel safer.

You can see where this is going.

Before you know it, there is no one at the station to cover the story and to try and give the viewers the information that they need.

And it is here that I must disagree with Melissa Luck.

Journalism is not a job, it’s a calling.

When you decide to become a Journalist, you decide to work crazy hours, you decide to work on weekends and holidays. It is what you do.

What if every staff told Melissa Luck that they didn’t want to work a holiday, or a weekend because that is “family time”?

Does her station just cancel the newscasts on those days?

When I was a News Director, I would often go into work on Christmas Day, along with other holidays and weekends. My thought was if others had to work those days, I should show up as well, in support of them.

Luck says that she will not be a “martyr for news,” but news needs martyrs.

Journalism needs people that make the story a priority.

Thank God for those Journalists that enter war zones, stand in the storms, risk getting injured at protests, all to tell us the story.

That is what a Journalist does, that is who we are.

If you’re getting into this business and don’t want to work nights, weekends, or holidays. And, if you don’t want to cover stories that can be a bit risky and want to be with your family whenever you want, you might want to apply for work at Melissa Luck’s station.

Because, the fact is, Journalism in most other places is not a 9 to 5 job and you can’t just up and leave work to watch your kids play soccer.

It’s great that Melissa Luck puts her personal life first and I tip my cap to her for doing so.

But, Journalism does need martyrs.

Journalism needs people like Richard Engel and others.

I stand by what I said.

If you don’t like the hours and the risks that come with being a Journalist, banking is a great Industry.

And, I can assure you, the pay is better.