Melanie Lawson retiring after 43 years at ABC13

HOUSTON (KTRK) — Beloved ABC13 anchor Melanie Lawson will be retiring in January, after an extraordinary 43-year journey with ABC13.

Melanie’s career has been nothing short of inspiring. As the anchor of Live at 5 and Eyewitness News at 11 a.m., Melanie has been a trusted voice in our community and a guiding presence in our newsroom. Her passion for journalism, rooted in her Houston upbringing, has shaped the way we tell stories and connect with our audience.

She has covered virtually every city, state, and national election, and reported on pivotal moments in our history-from Houston’s first Black and female mayors to natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey and the deadly Texas ice storm. She has brought global stories home, traveling to Cuba, Panama, Australia, Sudan, and South Africa, and has chronicled the rise of superstar performers like Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child.

Melanie’s journalistic chops and thoughtful approach to her subject matter have landed her some of the most notable interviews in KTRK history, including with four U.S. presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton; Vice President Kamala Harris, prima ballerinas Lauren Anderson and Misty Copeland, the Dalai Lama, iconic journalists Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, and Ann Curry, the late poet Maya Angelou, gospel superstar Yolanda Adams, Aretha Franklin (“Queen of Soul”), R&B girl group Destiny’s Child, former heavyweight champion George Foreman, film directors Tyler Perry and Spike Lee, evangelists Joel and Victoria Osteen, actress and comedian Betty White and former first lady Michelle Obama, to name just a few.

Yet, Melanie’s favorite stories have always been those that celebrate Houston’s rich, multi-ethnic community-especially stories about children and those quietly working to make a difference in their lives. She has worked with organizations such as Houston Ballet, SHAPE Community Center, Asia Society, the Rothko Chapel, the Houston Museum of African American Culture, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Children’s Defense Fund, Volunteer Houston, the Ensemble Theatre, and the Houston Association of Black Journalists. She is a member of the Texas Lone Star Chapter of the Emmys, Women in Film and Television, the American Leadership Forum, the Houston Chapter of Links Incorporated, and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Melanie also served on the Board of Trustees at Princeton University.

Her achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including three Emmys, the YWCA’s “Outstanding Women of the Year,” lifetime achievement awards from the Houston Press Club, Houston Community College, Women in Film and Television, and the Houston Association of Black Journalists, as well as the “Women of Distinction” award from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and the Ben and Julie Rogers Ecumenism Award from the Anti-Defamation League.

We look forward to celebrating her throughout the month of January, sharing stories, tributes, and memories. In the meantime, please join us in congratulating Melanie on her well-deserved retirement and in celebrating her extraordinary legacy.