Allison Payne Biography
Allison Payne is an American anchorwoman, journalist. She is a nine-time Emmy Award winner, a 21-year anchorwoman with WGN TV, a veteran international journalist, a popular public speaker, and an actively involved community builder. She was once a longtime anchor and reporter at CW affiliate and cable superstation WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois. Payne is still active in broadcasting through her freelance work.
Allison Payne Age
Nine-time Emmy Award winner, Payne was born on February 12, 1964, in Richmond, Virginia. She is 55 years old as of 2019.
Allison Payne Family
A native of Richmond, Virginia, was born to Dana and Kathryn Payne. Payne. When she was five, her parents moved north to Detroit, Michigan where Payne attended St. Rita’s Catholic grade school. She is of American nationality. Furthermore, there are no details available about her ethnic background at present.
Allison Payne Married
Previously, Allison Payne was married to Don Riggs. Rumors regarding her relationship with Bobby Richardson had been heard but she is possibly single now.
Allison Payne Education
Payne attended St. Rita’s Catholic grade school. She is a graduate of Renaissance High School in Detroit and holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from the University of Detroit Mercy. She also attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio for her master’s degree in radio/TV/film.
Allison Payne Image
Allison Payne Image
Allison Payne Career
Payne started in television news as an intern at NBC affiliate WNWO (channel 24) in Toledo, Ohio, within months was promoted to the main anchor of the station’s late evening newscast. Payne later moved to NBC affiliate WNEM-TV (channel 5, now a CBS affiliate) in Saginaw, Michigan as the co-anchor of the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts.
She moved to Chicago in 1990 to anchor the station’s primetime 9 p.m. newscast, which she anchored until 2009. From 1993 to 2008 in the evening and since 2009 at midday, Payne was paired alongside Steve Sanders at the anchor desk.
As an international journalist, she has gone to all corners of the world in search of inspiring stories. Her adventures have included travels to Kenya to trace Barack Obama’s roots, and to the Middle East to cover the Reverend Jesse Jackson’s peace negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
Payne has said, “travel is the best education… I feel much better reading stories on Africa and the Middle East now that I have been there.” Payne has paid her own fare for some international journeys because she believes strongly that “getting from behind the desk and out into the world” makes her a better anchor.
In 2006, she traveled to the Middle East with the Reverend Jesse Jackson to report on tensions between Lebanon, Israel, and Syria. Also in 2006, Payne was the first Chicago broadcaster to travel to Kenya to report on the African roots of Senator Barack Obama. In 2011, Payne has been in the process of developing a comprehensive report on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 in New York City, and its influence on local and global events.
On August 2, 2011, Payne and WGN-TV station management agreed to a buyout of Payne’s current contract, ending her 21-year relationship with the station; she left WGN-TV in September 2011.
Regarding her future after WGN, The Chicago Sun-Times reported: “I hope to continue working in broadcasting in some capacity and will consider other professional opportunities,” Payne said. “I also fully intend to continue my work in the community here.”
On her blog on August 4, 2011, Payne added: “Down the road, I plan to begin producing my own documentaries. I also plan to produce occasional reports which I will share with you on this website. I am not ruling out a return to the anchor desk, but for now, I need new intellectual challenges. I’m open to applying my communication skills to the business world as well.”
In February 2017, Payne met with representatives of her alma mater, Bowling Green State University and discussed returning to the campus to teach in the school’s esteemed Radio-TV-Film Department. Payne has always credited her education at BGSU for the start of her successful career in TV news. “Bowling Green has everything going for it. If you really want it, you can get it at BGSU. But the University abandoned the plans and refused to even take Payne’s phone calls.
Allison Payne Awards | Nominations
Payne is a nine-time Emmy Award winner. She won the nine Emmy awards in categories including Outstanding Achievement within a Regularly Scheduled News Program, Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence On Camera, and Outstanding Achievement for Informational Programs among others.
Allison Payne Now
Allison Payne is currently an American anchorwoman, journalist, and public speaker, reporting for CW affiliate and cable superstation WGN-TV. and also works as a co-anchor of the WGN Midday News.
Allison Payne Wgn News
She worked as a reporter at WGN before her departure, but she knows a co-anchor of the WGN Midday News.