ORLANDO, Fla. – Louis Bolden, a 25-year veteran of News 6, is leaving the station to return to his hometown of Memphis as the main evening anchor at Fox 13.
“I am going back to Fox 13, which is in Memphis. It is the very first station that I worked at... I am going to be the main evening anchor,” Bolden said, describing the move as both a professional opportunity and a homecoming.
Bolden joined News 6 after a career that began at the University of Memphis and included early reporting in Jackson, Mississippi. He started in television as a weekend morning assignment editor and quickly moved into on-air reporting. Over his time at News 6, Bolden served as a general assignment reporter, weekend morning anchor, and investigative reporter.
“Shortly after that, the station came up to me and said, listen, we would like for you to move into the investigative unit,” Bolden said. “It changed everything because it gave me more time to work on story… it gave me such a sense of accomplishment that I could highlight this situation, and I could actually change things for people.”
Among the memorable assignments Bolden recalls are dramatic breaking stories early in his Orlando tenure — including a rapidly opening sinkhole near an apartment complex and covering Hurricane Ian, helping a family escape from their flooding home. Bolden has been widely recognized by viewers for investigative work that helped consumers resolve problems with companies and institutions.
“I want people to remember that you are your best advocate,” Bolden said. “Companies count on you giving up. Even though it may take days and days and hours of your time, do not give up.”
He said he will miss newsroom camaraderie and longtime colleagues. “I will miss the camaraderie that we had. You know, Mike DeForest was there when I got there. He is still there. He is like my twin…We were just the dynamic duo,” he said.
His advice to aspiring journalists? “Follow your passion. People will try to deter you. People don’t always have your best interests at heart. Sometimes they have their best interests at heart. So, follow your heart.”
As he prepares to leave Orlando, Bolden thanked viewers who trusted him with their stories. “Thank you for trusting me to do this,” he said.