One of Texas’ most familiar voices signed off for the last time this week. ABC13’s Melanie Lawson, a pioneering journalist whose presence has shaped Houston news for more than four decades, announced her retirement.
With her retirement, she is closing a chapter that began with a lucky accident and ended with a legacy that stretched far beyond the newsroom.
Lawson, whose warmth, reporting instincts, and deep community roots made her one of the most trusted journalists in the region, used her final broadcast to look back on what she called an “extraordinary journey.”
A Career That Almost Happened by Mistake
Lawson walked into ABC13 as a college intern in 1974. She didn’t expect to end up on television — and certainly not on her first assignment.
While shadowing a reporter on a drowning case, she asked a few questions, wrote a short story, handed it to a producer, and unknowingly set her career in motion.
“When the story hit the air, the news director came screaming down the hall,” Lawson said, laughing at the memory. “He wasn’t happy, but he said the story wasn’t too bad — and he let me stick around for a while.”
“A while” turned into more than 40 years.
A Detour to Law, Then Back to Her Calling
In her sign-off, Lawson shared that she briefly left journalism for law school and spent three years practicing in New York. But the work didn’t bring her the same sense of purpose.
“It didn’t come close to the satisfaction I felt every day at ABC13,” she said. “My heart was not in writing legal briefs — it was in telling your stories.”
That decision — to choose storytelling over law — became a gift to Houston viewers.
A Voice for Houston Through Triumph and Tragedy
Lawson’s reporting spanned hurricanes, civic crises, elections, and community milestones. Her interview style was direct but compassionate. Her storytelling carried a trademark clarity. And over the years, her presence became a steadying force in a city that has weathered more than its share of challenges.
She told stories of loss and resilience, of ordinary Houstonians doing extraordinary things, and of communities fighting for space, safety, and justice.
“As the world got more complex, the work we do each day is even more important,” she told viewers. “Keeping you informed, fighting for your rights, and making you proud about the city we all love.”
A Legacy Rooted in Integrity
Lawson used her farewell message to drum home what mattered most to her: honesty, integrity, and service:
“I hope I’ve been able to tell your stories with honesty and integrity, asking the questions you would ask and getting the answers you deserve.”
She also turned her attention to the next generation of journalists — especially young reporters who see a profession reshaped by digital disruption, political polarization, and shrinking local newsrooms.
“I hope I’ve been a good example… that the world is not as big or scary as it might seem, and that we are definitely more alike than different in this city of so many cultures and languages,” she said.
A Loss for Houston, A Torch Passed
ABC13’s newsroom, one of the largest in Texas, is known for its tough coverage and deep community footprint. Lawson helped build that identity — and her exit marks a turning point for the station and the city it serves.
But in true Lawson fashion, she kept the focus on the audience and her colleagues.
“That light that shines to tell your stories, right the wrongs, and hold people accountable shines on here at ABC13,” she said. “There is so much in our future, my friends.”
Forty-three years after accidentally ending up on air, Lawson’s final message echoed the values that guided her career: that journalism, at its best, is service — and that a city’s stories deserve to be told with empathy and truth.
Houston will miss her voice. But her imprint on the city — and its storytellers — endures.
