The departure of Elam, who labored on the community for twenty years, adds to a rising pattern amongst Black journalists, whether or not by alternative or due to layoffs.
For greater than twenty years, Stephanie Elam was a well-known face at NCS. The Howard University alum had coated the whole lot from the deaths of Michael Jackson and Prince to the risky swings of the inventory market and final yr’s devastating Eaton hearth that displaced many Californians, notably within the primarily Black metropolis of Altadena.
That familiarity is about to finish as Elam introduced her departure from the community Saturday (Apr. 18).
“For more than 20 years I’ve been in the NCS orbit developing and delivering news stories on everything from the environment and entertainment to business and breaking news of all kinds,” she mentioned in an announcement shared by Variety. “I’m so proud of my NCS career. Live or taped, writing packages or doing a show-and-tell, I’ve done it all — and having a front row seat to document history has been a gift.”
Elam’s exit, albeit on her personal phrases, is the most recent in a sequence of Black faces who as soon as known as community TV residence however have since left, whether or not by their very own volition or by means of layoff. In March, Shawna Thomas, a famous producer for “CBS Mornings,” introduced she was getting ready to go away the community by summarily telling colleagues she was “tired.”
“This isn’t THE GREAT GOODBYE NOTE,” Thomas wrote on the time. “But you should know I’ve been thinking about this for a while and, frankly, I’m tired y’all.”
She continued, “Today is not my last day at CBS Mornings, but it begins a countdown to my alarm going off a little bit later […] For five years, I’ve tried to make this show something she and everybody on this team want to be a part of. Want to watch. Want to learn from. And in return, this team has made me more thoughtful, empathetic, and expanded my personal definition of storytelling. I’ve had the privilege of helping to make 10 (now 12!) hours of television each week that goes out free to people everywhere. I’ve taken that responsibility of trying to inform, educate, entertain, and make people care about the world around them very seriously, and I know the people here do, too.”
One of Elam’s most poignant on-air moments got here in 2025 when she eulogized her expensive pal, former MTV VJ Ananda Lewis. Lewis, who died from breast most cancers on the age of 52, took half in a sit-down dialog with Elam and NCS anchor Sara Sidner, who was additionally battling most cancers. The second allowed viewers to see Elam past her time as a journalist, however as a pal who deeply believed in sisterhood, particularly with two of the women she was closest to.
“Stephanie brought clarity, credibility, and heart to every story she touched over her two decades at NCS. Her versatility and natural ability to connect with audiences made her a trusted voice and a valued colleague,” NCS mentioned in an announcement. “We are grateful for her many contributions and wish her continued success in her next chapter.”
While Elam didn’t reveal what her subsequent chapter can be, her absence from tv is felt. Just as it was when mass layoffs occurred at networks like NBC and CBS. Last yr, Maurice DuBois left “CBS Evening News,” and Michelle Miller, who was a co-host on “CBS Saturday Morning,” additionally departed the community amid restructuring from CBS’s father or mother firm, Paramount.
More must-reads: