The Untold Truth: 5 Reasons Why Leslee Lacey Left WFLA And Her Post-Broadcast Career Pivot

The departure of Leslee Lacey, the familiar face of Tampa Bay traffic and the creator of the popular "Speed Busters" segment, from WFLA News Channel 8, left many viewers curious about the sudden change. As of the current date, December 15, 2025, the official reason for her exit is a definitive, yet common, business decision: the station opted not to renew her employment contract, signaling a non-voluntary end to her long tenure on local television.

Her exit from the Nexstar-owned station represents a significant turning point in her broadcast career, a pivot that led to a brief, controversial stint in radio and a subsequent move away from the high-profile media spotlight. This article explores the details behind her WFLA departure, her subsequent career moves, and where the veteran journalist is now.

Leslee Lacey: Professional Biography and WFLA Tenure

Leslee Lacey built a decades-long career as a trusted voice in Tampa Bay media, becoming synonymous with the region's morning commute. While personal biographical details like her exact birth date are kept private, her professional history is well-documented in the Florida market.

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• Full Name: Leslee Lacey
• Primary Role: Traffic Reporter / Journalist
• Primary Market: Tampa Bay, Florida (WFLA-TV, News Channel 8)
• Signature Segment: "Speed Busters" (A popular franchise focusing on dangerous driving and traffic enforcement, often featuring local law enforcement)
• WFLA Tenure: A significant period, making her a long-time, recognizable figure in the Tampa Bay media landscape.
• Departure Status: Contract Non-Renewal (Non-voluntary exit).

Lacey’s reporting was characterized by its local focus, particularly on weather and traffic conditions, which made her an essential part of the morning news routine for countless Tampa Bay residents. Her "Speed Busters" segment was particularly impactful, often leading to community discussions and policy changes regarding speeding and neighborhood traffic safety.

The Official Reason: Contract Non-Renewal at WFLA

The core question—"Why did Leslee Lacey leave WFLA?"—has a clear, albeit corporate, answer. Leslee Lacey’s departure was not a resignation or a voluntary exit on her part, but rather a decision made by WFLA's management, an NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group.

The station chose not to renew her employment contract. In the competitive and often volatile world of local broadcast news, non-renewal is a common mechanism for stations to make staff changes, often driven by shifts in budget, new strategic directions, or a desire to refresh on-air talent.

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1. The Business Decision of Non-Renewal

In broadcast media, long-term talent is often employed under fixed-term contracts. When a contract expires, the station has the right to simply not offer a new one. This is a business maneuver that allows media companies, such as Nexstar, to manage payroll and adapt to changing audience demands without the need for a formal "firing." For Leslee Lacey, this meant her time at WFLA ended abruptly, despite her popularity and years of service to the Tampa Bay community.

2. The Role of "Speed Busters" in Her Exit

While the non-renewal was a corporate decision, speculation often surrounds whether her high-profile segment played a role. "Speed Busters" was a successful, community-focused feature, but it also required significant resources and coordination with local police departments. It is not publicly confirmed that the segment was a factor, but the discontinuation of a long-running, resource-intensive franchise could align with a station's broader cost-saving or content strategy shift.

3. Broader Industry Trends and Talent Refresh

The media industry, especially local news, frequently undergoes cycles of "talent refresh." As noted in recent industry reports, the departure of long-time broadcasters often aligns with broader patterns of change in the news profession, sometimes to attract a younger demographic or to consolidate roles.

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The Post-WFLA Career Pivot: Radio and Controversy

Following her exit from WFLA, Leslee Lacey did not immediately disappear from the Tampa Bay media scene. She made a significant pivot from television to radio, taking on a role at 1010-AM, a local news and sports station.

A Brief Stint at 1010-AM and the Arbitron Controversy

Her time at 1010-AM was relatively short-lived and was reportedly marked by a controversy surrounding Arbitron ratings. Arbitron, now Nielsen Audio, is the primary company that measures radio audiences, and these ratings are crucial for a station's advertising revenue.

While the exact details remain murky, reports from the time suggested a controversy involving Arbitron ratings, with some in the industry debating the impact of her presence on the station's audience metrics. This situation ultimately led to her departure from 1010-AM as well, marking a second, non-voluntary exit from a major media outlet in the Tampa Bay market.

Where is Leslee Lacey Now? Her Current Professional Status

After leaving both WFLA and 1010-AM, Leslee Lacey appears to have transitioned away from the high-visibility, daily grind of broadcast news. The career path of a journalist after a high-profile exit often involves a pivot to a related field, such as public relations, corporate communications, or, in some cases, a complete change of industry.

Current public information about Leslee Lacey's professional status is limited, suggesting she is maintaining a low profile. While she remains a recognized entity in the Tampa, FL area, her current work is not widely publicized in the same manner as her decades of on-air reporting.

The lack of readily available information on her current role is a common trend for veteran broadcasters who leave the daily news cycle. They often choose to leverage their media expertise in roles that do not require an active, public-facing social media or on-air presence. This privacy is a stark contrast to her years as a public figure, a choice that many former media personalities embrace after years in the spotlight.

5 Key Takeaways on Leslee Lacey’s WFLA Departure

The story of Leslee Lacey’s exit from WFLA is less about a single dramatic event and more about the harsh realities of the modern broadcast industry. Here are the five most important points to understand her career transition:

1. Non-Voluntary Exit: The primary reason was WFLA’s decision not to renew her contract, not a voluntary resignation.
2. The End of an Era: Her departure concluded a long and successful tenure as the station’s most prominent traffic reporter.
3. "Speed Busters" Legacy: She left behind a legacy defined by her innovative "Speed Busters" segment, which was both popular and community-driven.
4. Career Pivot: Her immediate move was to radio at 1010-AM, which demonstrated her desire to remain active in local media.
5. Post-Media Life: Following the radio controversy, she has largely stepped away from the public media spotlight, indicating a significant, and likely permanent, career pivot away from daily broadcasting.

For Tampa Bay viewers who relied on her daily updates, Leslee Lacey’s exit was a reminder that even the most established local personalities are subject to corporate contract decisions in the ever-changing world of television news.