Diann Burns

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Diann Burns

Diann Burns (born September, 1956) is the Chicago's best-known, most-loved (according to independent surveys) and highest paid TV news personality. She was the first African-American woman to anchor the prime time news in Chicago and did so from 1985 to 2008, anchoring the 4pm, 5pm and 10pm news every weekday.

After long-time veteran television news anchor Diann Burns left WBBM CBS 2 in Chicago in 2008, the station returned to the basement in the ratings war in the nation’s number 3 market. NOTABLY, Burns does not even include her five years at WBBM on her resume -- shades of Katie Couric, who exposed what she called backbiting, among other problems within the CBS network in an interview with a magazine in New York City, saying that she would never have jumped from NBC if she had been aware of the environment at CBS. Since Burns' departure, WBBM's management continues to be skewered in the press for failing to possess the leadership and news experience required to compete at a level that compares with the competition.

Burns appears to be busy with various causes, such as helping Black women in business (see "Barack Obama's Executive Sounding Board", in Businessweek -- link to article is below in External Links section)


Contents

[edit] BIO

[edit] Career Outline

Diann Burns began her career as a print journalist in Cleveland Ohio for The Plain Dealer (newspaper) in the 1970's. In 1983, she joined NBC affiliated WCMH television as a general assignment reporter, where she was named anchor reporter in 1984. From 1985 until 2003, she was the 5pm & 10pm weekday news anchor at American Broadcasting Company (ABC) owned & operated WLS-TV Chicago, where she was Chicago's highest-paid television news personality before joining WBBM-TV in 2003 as the weekday 4pm, 5pm & 10pm news anchor, until leaving WBBM in 2008. She remains Chicago's best-known, most-loved (according to surveys) and highest paid TV news personality.

Since Burns' parting of ways with WBBM in March 2008, the local media reports that CBS-Chicago's general manager Joe Ahern is so busy obsessing over a marble bath and steam shower in his office in the new building in downtown Chicago , he does not watch over his news division, that is in disarray and supervised by a news director who was never successful in local television news.

Lester Holt escaped CBS 2 (WBBM) with his career and his time there only a mention in his resume. John Drury, who worked with Burns at ABC 7 in Chicago , said in an interview that his experience at CBS was so horrible, that he left with 2 years to go on his contract and didn’t care that he would not be paid the salary that remained.WBBM is owned & operated by CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System. (ABC) is owned & operated by The Walt Disney Company.

[edit] Most Dangerous Live Reports

  1. War-torn Somalia, where she was NOT embedded with US troops, but on her own. No makeup, no lighting, no running water.
  2. Reporting live just outside a house rigged with enough explosives to destroy the entire neighborhood -- the bomb was part of a booby-trap left for rescuers and police responding to the body in a suicide.

[edit] Most Dramatic Live On-Camera Moments

  1. With Nelson Mandela during his first US tour after his release from 27 years in prison.
  2. Questioning the man who murdered the father of Michael Jordan.

[edit] Awards

Among Burns' many awards are 5 Emmys.

[edit] Volunteer Work & Philanthropy

Burns has awarded record scholarships for underpriveleged students to go to college. She is the spokesperson for Pediatric Aids Chicago. Burns also works with "Girls in the Game," an organization that promotes fitness and health as a way to teach girls to persevere and gain confidence to careers. Burns also is active with the Ronald McDonald House, the Northern Illinois Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and The Support Group, an organization that assists high school students with school work and home life by providing tutoring and social services. Burns lends her time and talent to the benefit of numerous other causes, especially organizations that focus on children and education.

[edit] Education

Burns has an undergraduate degree in Politics and Mass Communications from Cleveland State University and a Masters degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York.

[edit] Family

Burns and her husband, Marc Watts, and their grade-school aged son reside in Chicago's Lincoln Park, see Chicago Tribune: "http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_10_60/ai_n14835532".

[edit] Film Credits

Burns appeared in several major motion pictures, playing herself, including:


[edit] External link