Allison Payne facts for kids

Allison Payne (born February 12, 1964 – died September 1, 2021) was a very talented American journalist. She won nine Emmy Awards for her work. For 21 years, she was a well-known news anchor at WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois.

Allison was also a public speaker and helped her community a lot. She worked as a co-anchor for the WGN Midday News. She also started her own TV company, Payne Productions, Inc. This company helped students who wanted to work in broadcasting. Allison continued to work in journalism until she passed away.

Early Life and Education

Allison Payne was born in Richmond, Virginia. When she was five years old, her family moved to Detroit, Michigan. She went to St. Rita's Catholic grade school there.

Allison graduated from Renaissance High School in Detroit. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Detroit Mercy. Later, she studied at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. There, she worked on her master's degree in radio, TV, and film. Allison was also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc..

Allison Payne's Journalism Career

Allison Payne started her career in television news as an intern. This was at WNWO (channel 24) in Toledo, Ohio. She quickly became the main anchor for the station's late evening news. After that, she moved to WNEM-TV (channel 5) in Saginaw, Michigan. There, she co-anchored the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts.

Working at WGN-TV

In 1990, Allison moved to Chicago and joined WGN-TV. She became the anchor for their 9 p.m. newscast. She held this role until 2009. For many years, from 1993 to 2008, she worked alongside Steve Sanders at the anchor desk. After 2009, they co-anchored the midday news.

Allison traveled to many places for her job. She went to Kenya to learn about Barack Obama's family history. She also traveled to the Middle East. There, she covered the peace talks led by Reverend Jesse Jackson between Israel and Lebanon.

During her time at WGN, Allison Payne won many awards. She earned nine Emmy Awards for her reporting. Some of these awards were for:

• Reporting on politics and government.
• Being an excellent host or contributor for programs like "People to People."
• Reporting on special topics like religion.
• Her overall work as a news reporter.

On August 2, 2011, Allison and WGN-TV agreed that she would leave the station. Her 21-year career with WGN-TV ended in September 2011.

Allison shared her plans for the future. She hoped to keep working in broadcasting. She also wanted to explore other professional opportunities. She said she would continue her community work in Chicago. Allison also planned to produce her own documentaries. She was open to new challenges, including using her communication skills in the business world.

Later Life and Passing

In 2008, Allison Payne took medical leave twice. This was due to some health challenges. In November 2008, WGN-TV announced she would take more time off for her health. Allison later shared that she had sought treatment for depression during this time.

In late 2010, Allison took another break from WGN-TV. This time, it was to rest her vocal cords. Her doctor wanted her to stay off the air to fix the problem.

Allison Payne passed away on September 1, 2021, in Detroit. She was 57 years old.