Amy Lawrence spent nine years with ESPN Radio as the only regular female on the air at the time. In 2013, Lawrence landed at CBS and most recently was hosting After Hours with Amy Lawrence from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. ET until she decided to step away.
Amy wrote a blog post about her recent decision and has allowed us to post her words as an Industry Guest Column:
What a clever suggestion from a listener about what to name my next radio venture! As I close a proud chapter in my career, I am astounded at the response. THANK YOU for your interest, for caring about me personally and professionally, and for reaching out to tell me the show will be missed. My decision was not made lightly nor on a whim. It wasn’t simple or easy. Nearly two years of prayer and thoughtful consideration were poured into this change.
When After Hours with Amy Lawrence moved to weeknights, I told myself I would do five years in that time slot and then figure out the next step. Haha! There WERE several opportunities to change hours, but each time, I opted to stay put. We had solid momentum for over a decade–building the audience and establishing a more personal connection. I enjoyed the creative process, and we were generating new ideas. As a host, I was learning and growing, and I knew the show was “routine” for listeners all over North America. When I signed a 3-year deal in January of 2021, I appreciated the stability and consistency. I don’t regret that choice, but so much has changed since then.
Like many other industries, the media world has faced drastic cuts in the last few years. In radio, entire shows and stations are getting wiped out. I understand the economics, but they can be applied with brutal effects. Fewer and fewer people are being asked to shoulder more and more of the load. After Hours was not immune. In the fall of 2020, we were stripped down to one producer. Coming out of the pandemic, very few people worked in the building at night which meant little support behind the scenes. More than once, we had equipment malfunctions and no engineer available. You can imagine how that went.
You’ve probably heard the metaphor of the duck floating serenely and peacefully on the water while frantically paddling underneath. That was me the last several years. Taking on tasks and responsibilities that wouldn’t normally be mine to manage. But to come anywhere close to my high standards, I had to try. I spent hours each week and precious time each night scrambling to keep it all together and NOT let the added stress affect the on-air product. But eventually, that’s impossible, right? Ultimately, I realized I had to focus more on the content and ME on the air since that’s what matters most to listeners. Sadly, various features, production, imaging, social media, promotion, the YouTube channel all became outdated or stale or suffered from a lack of attention. It hurt me to know the quality of the show was slipping, that the fun elements I loved were falling by the wayside.
I certainly can’t blame producers for wanting different hours, support from managers or the occasional raise. But the revolving door of people working on the show meant non-stop training and dialing back on what we could do. Creative ideas are only as good as the ability to implement them. As discouraged and frustrated as I felt, I did the best I could to maintain the caliber of the show with genuine and frank discussion, humor, off-beat topics and material, engaging interviews and enthusiasm every night. But often, it felt like a battle I couldn’t win.
As a night owl, the hours weren’t a challenge until the last 18 months. I think the lack of regular sleep and constant flipping my schedule finally took their toll. Even before I got married, I was struggling to keep my priorities in line and maintain a healthy balance. The extra obligations and the non-stop cycle were all-consuming. As far back as summer 2023, I told two managers I couldn’t sign another contract for overnights. I was hopeful the company would take me seriously and see my value as a host. Not the case. I’m not even sure they believed me.
When I received an offer to continue with the status quo last December, I turned it down. I told them I would work through the Super Bowl for the sake of our affiliates and the loyal After Hours audience. When I rejected the offer, a huge weight slid off my shoulders. I’ve had peace about the decision since then. No second-guessing, no wondering if this is the right choice, simply a desire to handle the last 7 weeks with professionalism and a commitment to the craft.
Crazily enough, managing the final month-and-a-half on the overnight schedule has been excruciating. Even after the biggest games or breaking news, it was a struggle to get out of the house. More than once, I’ve wondered how the heck I did this for more than 12 years. Including my stretch at ESPN Radio which was mostly nighttime shifts, I’ve spent nearly two decades as a vampire, ha.🙃
Funny story: when After Hours moved off Friday and Saturday nights to begin 2015, I recall thinking “What’s the big deal about working weekends?” I had Wednesdays and Thursdays off; that was my weekend. But after a couple months, I realized how neat it was to share actual weekends with family and friends, to have more of a social life and be able to teach kiddos at church on Sundays. I believe the same will be true as I leave the overnights. No more staying awake 36+ hours when I travel or returning from trips and going right to work. No more 16-hour stretches of football Sundays into Monday morning shows, phew.
For years, I’ve read articles about how working overnights is detrimental to your health. And for years, I laughed at that idea and determined that I would be the exception to the rule. Training for and running half marathons kept me moving. So did Penny and her strict routine from which she rarely strayed. A few years ago, I went back to reading fiction before bed to settle my mind. That practice continues to bring me joy. But the schedule became more and more demanding with less and less time each week for activities that I love, like playing golf and sitting down at my piano or hanging out with a group of friends.
Since December 2023, my husband and I have navigated opposite schedules and all the challenges that come with working and sleeping at different times. I am grateful for his support and grace and sacrifices with the pets and TV remote, ha. A few months ago, as I considered the end of After Hours, it dawned on me that every decision and move I’ve made since college put career goals first. But after 25 years of praying and waiting for a partner and spouse, it’s a privilege to finally put my personal life first.❤️ The goal is to get healthier in every way: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually AND professionally.
I LOVED my job for the last 12+ years! I am incredibly thankful for the opportunities and experiences, even the sacrifices and the toughest challenges. I will forever consider the jump to CBS Sports Radio the best career decision I ever made. When Mark Chernoff and Eric Spitz hired me in late 2012 and told me they just wanted me to be “Amy,” their confidence changed me as a host. I was determined to reward their faith in me. And of course, I was also driven to prove the doubters wrong. (That’s not a fair fight anymore.😜)
This is also my tribute to the family and friends who lifted me up when the hours and routine were a grind. I can’t tell you how much it means to hear them say they’re proud of me.❣️ They’re the ones who’ve encouraged me to take this leap of faith and who tell me over and over I need to be ready for the next open door and new challenge. The hardest part of this whole process is feeling like I’m letting the listeners down. You’ve counted on me and relied on the show for company, conversation, connection, humor, escape, distraction and so much more. I trust you to find me again when I return to the airwaves. Thank you for the unwavering support. It kept me going for a long time.
I hope you’ll read these words and know my heart and understand why I need change in my personal and professional life. We can still connect via “Twix” @ALawRadio or via the Facebook page. Maybe I can even figure out the YouTube channel and post a video soon, ha. I look forward to sharing news and next steps as we move forward in 2025. Amy Xo
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