TELEVISION: ABC13 morning show anchor Tom Koch announces plan to retire.
ABC13 anchor Tom Koch announced Feb. 1 that he will be retiring from KTRK-TV at the end of May.
The Eyewitness News anchor has worked for the network for nearly 40 years. He has co-anchored the ABC13 morning newscast for 33 years.
In an emotional speech on Monday morning during the final segment of his show, Koch held back tears while announcing the big news of his retirement.
“Finally this morning, for almost 39 years, I’ve been honored and humbled that you invited me into your home every morning to inform, update and share a laugh,” said Koch on air.
He continued to say thank you to the viewers of ABC13, who he called his “extended family.”
“Without you, I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “And this dream, this small-town Wisconsin kid, the dream of reporting the news in the greatest city in the world would not have come true without you.”
Koch is an award-winning journalist. Locally, he’s reported on City Hall, the Texas Legislature and NASA. He has covered 10 hurricanes and a dozen national political conventions. He’s also reported from around the world, from the Vatican and Central America to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
Samica Knight, Koch’s co-anchor, said on Twitter: “My work husband told me he’s leaving me.”
Koch’s final newscast will air at the end of May.