Emily Leonard departs WTVA, joins Mississippi Live News

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Longtime WTVA anchor Emily Leonard has left the television station to anchor news segments for Mississippi Live Weather, the weather app created by her husband, meteorologist Matt Laubhan, founded last year.

TUPELO – Emily Leonard, who has spent 15 years as an anchor for WTVA, has found a new job - rejoining her husband, Matt Laubhan, at Mississippi Live Weather.

Leonard will anchor Mississippi Live News, which for the time being will be under the umbrella of Mississippi Live Weather. Laubhan launched the weather app last year after his departure from WTVA following an award-winning, 14-year career at the station.

For Leonard, it was time for a fresh start.

"I mean, I've been here for 15 years. This community has welcomed me, my family, and given us a community, they've given us a home," she said. "But I think it's time for change. God's really been tugging on my heart to to do something new, something else, and to be at home, especially with my kids. And it's time to take that leap of faith and see where it goes from here."

Because Leonard is a one-person show for the time being, she'll be doing all the writing and producing. Most importantly, she won't be tied to an anchor desk at 5, 6 and 10.

Mississippi Live News has partnered with local newspapers, including the Daily Journal, Columbus Commercial Dispatch and the Daily Corinthian.

"We plan to bring these headlines to the people, and then if they want to read more about it, they can go to your website and read more," Leonard said.

Laubhan said a a QR code will show on the screen that takes readers to the newspaper's website.

"And I think it's a partnership that just makes sense for both sides. People want news fast. They would just want quick little headlines, but then some people think, I need to know a little bit more about that, where can I go? And so they can go to the newspapers that do give you really great details," Laubhan said.

An accomplished journalist for 25 years, Leonard said telling the stories of the people of North Mississippi is her passion

"I still love telling stories; I still love this community," she said. "So, I think the goal is to be able to really connect the community with the stories they want, and the stories that they need to know."

Leonard and Laubhan met at a television station in Texas, and their careers brought them to Tupelo in 2015. It's been a mutually beneficial relationship for the couple and the region's viewers who have come know them and their family.

Together, the couple has brought news and weather to homes and businesses on network television, and after Laubhan left the station last year, Leonard stayed.

But Leonard said it has been a long year without her husband and longtime coworker by her side. Now they're together again on a different platform.

"The news business is changing. The way people consume their news is changing," Leonard sad. " So what Matt has created is for people to consume weather, wherever they go, whenever they need it. And that's the goal with this, as well, is to give them just enough news to say, 'I'm informed,' and they can find it wherever they are at a convenient time."

Eventually, the weather and news segments will simply be branded Mississippi Live, Laubhan said.

"We're gonna keep the beginning of the broadcast, so it'll stay Mississippi Live Weather for a while with news segments in there. But we'll have to see how it grows," Laubhan said. "This can't stay just Emily, and it won't stay just Emily doing this. I think we'll continue to try to recruit quality journalists and expand because I think that this is something that's important."

Laubhan said his meteorologists may be chipping in to provide news coverage as well, but Leonard will be leading the way - and she couldn't be happier.

"I'm not going to be stuck in a box; I get to go out a lot more and be involved, and that is one of my favorite things to do, to just go out and be around people," she said. "I'm excited to be on my own schedule."

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