Page 138 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2024

Karen Abernathy,
SIGNING OFF
story and photos courtesy of Karen Abernathy
This has been quite a journey. Thirty-nine years at WLOX-TV, 42 years in the television news business. It’s not what I expected when I started out, but it has turned out to be everything I hoped for in my career.
When WLOX hired me in 1985, I was the morning news anchor at WAPT in Jackson. I was hired to be the 10 p.m. co-anchor with Jim Roberts. It was a big step for women because I was the first female co-anchor on the nightly news at WLOX. It had only been men before that. Times have certainly changed for women since then!
In 1987, I formed my partnership at work with David Elliott, anchoring the 5 p.m. news. Soon after that we added what became known as the 4 O’Clock Show. Together, we built a tremendous connection with the community, and an extremely loyal audience.
We enjoyed sharing the anchor desk for 37 years and were the longest running anchor team in Mississippi. (I never verified it, but I believe it might be a U.S. anchor team record!)
As wonderful as that is, this was not my original plan. Quite honestly,
I thought I’d be at WLOX two years. Maybe three. Then on to a bigger market. I had big dreams. And I was getting offers from bigger markets. But once I decided to start a family on the Coast, I knew I’d be staying. This became my home, and I’ve never looked back.
The journey has taught me a lot about what’s important in life. A love for journalism is the reason I got into this business. That passion turned into
a long career in a community I love. Yes, my job took time away from my family, and balancing the two was sometimes a struggle. But the life lessons at work ultimately helped me grow and become a better person, which made me a better parent.
And now for the next chapter. My boys have fulfilling lives and successful careers of their own. My parents are still actively involved in our lives. Retirement will allow me to have more time with my family and more time for another passion, traveling!
For all of you still blazing the path in your careers, I hope you find a job that’s as challenging and rewarding as mine was for me. You deserve it! Thanks again to South Mississippi for inviting me into your homes for
nearly four decades. Your trust in me was an honor for which I will be forever grateful.
1987: First year with Dave Elliott.
138 | September 2024
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Karen Abernathy.
Hall of Fame induction with Dave Elliott.
1985: Karen’s first promotional head shot.
1993: Working Mom (sons Bailey and Henderson)