Longtime Houston consumer reporter Emily Akin has announced her retirement from FOX 26 KRIV, and in her final days on the air, is using her 40 plus years of journalistic experience to share her best tips with viewers.
"But before I go, I want to leave FOX 26 Houston viewers with some final consumer advice," Akin posted on Facebook. "All this week I'll focus on issues you have asked me about the most."
Houston television news viewers first got to know Akin on KPRC 2 in 1995 through segments like Akin's Army, Not On The Menu and Good Housekeeping. Akin's Army really was an army...an army of volunteers that helped consumers across the Bayou City.
The consumer advocate left KPRC in 2005. After teaching at Houston Community College (and also taught at the University of Houston), she returned to Houston TV at FOX 26 KRIV continuing the tradition of helping viewers with Take it to Akin.
According to her bio, Akin started her journalism career in the 1970s reporting for radio stations and NPR. She jumped to TV in the early 1980s and started covering politics for KOB 4 Albuquerque, New Mexico eventually moving to a main anchor role.
That led to a job at WPLG Miami as a business reporter, morning anchor and feature reporter.
Although Akin was born and raised in Albuquerque, her Texas roots called her to the Lone Star State. Her mother's side of the family has lived in Texas for six generations. She once wrote that her great-grandfather was the first doctor in Dallas County, while another was a judge who helped tame the Texas Panhandle.
Out of her numerous awards she has earned through her career, she has stated one of her proudest professional accomplishments was being named Houston Press Club Reporter of the Year in 1999.
In the last few years, Akin completed her Master's Degree from Rice University in Liberal Studies with a focus on Journalism Ethics.
"Happy retirement, Emily Akin! She’s been helping Houstonians for decades, and it’s hard to imagine Houston TV without her," FOX 26 morning anchor Sally MacDonald posted on Facebook. "She has a one of a kind style and truly cares about each person she has helped, whether on screen or off. I will miss her so much!"
(Thanks to Bob Martin)
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