She began her media career in her hometown of Jackson, Miss., after graduating from Tougaloo College in 2005. After more than five years as a radio personality, she transitioned to television news as a producer for WAPT-TV in Jackson, some 17 years ago.
Now, she’s been appointed Director of News and Multiplatform Content, starting August 25, at the Nexstar Media Group TV property serving Chicago.
Earning the role at WGN-9 is Akemi Harrison. She will lead all newsgathering and production across all local, national, political and digital platforms associated with the television operation, once the flagship of the former Tribune Broadcasting.
She’s inbound from WMAQ-5, the NBCUniversal O&O in Chicago, where she served as News Director for the NBC station and its Telemundo-affiliated sibling, WSNS-TV.
“As media consumption continues to evolve into a multiplatform experience, we are thrilled to have Akemi Harrison join and lead our WGN content team,” said WGN-TV VP/GM Ric Harris. “Akemi is a highly accomplished news and media executive who understands the importance of compelling storytelling and engaging audiences across all platforms.”
Before joining NBCU Chicago in August 2021, Harrison served as Assistant News Director at WVIT-30 in Hartford-New Haven. Prior to that, she was an Executive Producer for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh.
“I’m thrilled to join such an incredible team of journalists who have led the market in both ratings and community engagement for decades,” she said. “Growing up in Mississippi, I watched WGN and never imagined I’d one day be in a leadership role there. My leadership philosophy is simple: support our incredible talent and dare to innovate. It’s an honor to build on WGN’s powerful legacy, and I’m excited to weave in a future-forward approach to ensure we continue to dominate the market.”
