Marshall Quits New TV Job After 1 Day

John Marshall, the award-winning reporter dismissed by KNBC Channel 4, said Wednesday that he has quit his new job at KCOP Channel 13 after only one day because “it’s time to find a new life” outside of local TV news.

Emphasizing that his decision had nothing to do with KCOP or the state of local news, he said: “The minute I got back in the saddle (at KCOP), I knew I’d gone pretty much as far as I could in this profession. So I’m going to find something else.

“I turn 50 this summer. Transition time. I think that it’s time not to retire, but to open up new areas.”

When Marshall was fired by KNBC in an economy move in late January after two decades at the station, his colleagues and viewers protested. Last Friday, after being wooed by KCOP since his dismissal, it was announced he would join the non-network station on Monday.

He did, covering one story, the local rainstorm, at an outdoor location. There was a malfunction of the KCOP equipment, but Marshall said that this had nothing to do with his decision to quit: “Of course not. I’m used to that.”

KCOP news chief Jeff Wald said that Marshall “has decided to get out of TV news completely. He’s disillusioned and fed up. He assured me there were no other offers, that he was not going any other place. I said, ‘Why don’t you hang in there?’ He said it’s not for him anymore.

“When you lose veterans like John Marshall, it’s a loss not only for KCOP but for the news profession.”

Wald said that Marshall called him Tuesday morning about his decision “and I told him to take 24 hours to think it over. I spoke to him again (Wednesday), and he said, ‘That’s it.’ ”

Marshall said that he “learned a lot” during the six weeks after he was fired by KNBC and had to wait for his contract to expire before working elsewhere. “I had down time which I used to get interested in other things. I bought a lap-top computer and started writing. I rekindled my interest in aviation. I discovered there were other things in life besides local news.

“But when the situation (at KCOP) came up, it seemed too good to refuse, particularly when opportunities are diminishing. It seemed like the perfect thing.”

But he quickly decided to quit and “continue this life break. I certainly don’t want to call it a midlife crisis. Obviously there are mixed emotions. I feel as if I’ve kind of let (KCOP) down. But I had to listen to my life, which I didn’t because I was more or less blinded by the opportunity.”