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Allison payne
Allison Payne, who featured news broadcasts on WGN-Channel 9 from 1990 to 2011, died on September 1 in her hometown of Detroit, Nexstar Media station reported on Friday. She was 57 years old.
No cause of death has been reported for Payne, who battled drug addiction and other health issues during his later years in Chicago.
“Allison Payne was a one-of-a-kind talent who quickly became one of Chicago’s Very Own,” said Paul Rennie, vice president and general manager of WGN. “We are grateful for the many contributions she has made to WGN-TV and Chicago. Talented and much admired, she will be sadly missed.
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Payne grew up in Detroit and graduated from the University of Detroit and Bowling Green State University. She started as an intern and reporter at WNWO, the ABC affiliate in Toledo, Ohio. In 1988, she was hired as a news anchor at WNEM, the NBC subsidiary in Saginaw, Michigan.
Her big breakup came two years later when she was discovered by WGN Chief Information Officer Paul Davis, and she moved to Chicago to replace Pat Harvey alongside Rick Rosenthal on the 9 p.m. TV news. Monday to Friday. Payne then co-hosted with Steve Sanders and Mark Suppelsa.
“Allison was young, dynamic, lively, articulate. She was amazing, ”recalled WGN chief meteorologist Tom Skilling. “You looked at Allison and said this is a young reporter with the world in front of her. One could only speculate on the direction his incredible career would take. “
Nine-time Chicago Emmy Award winner Payne has served as a student mentor and created a foundation for those looking to get into journalism, according to the station.
In 2006, Payne appeared as a “Reviewer for a Day” on WTTW-Channel 11’s “Chicago Tonight”, where she was assigned to review “The Devil Wears Prada”. Payne admitted she stepped out in the middle of the movie because she was offended by her “emphasis on appearance.”
At the end of her review, she presented a check to “Chicago Tonight” correspondent Elizabeth Brackett as a donation to the public broadcaster. “We appreciated the contribution – although I was a little surprised to get it on air,” Brackett later recalled.
In 2008, Payne suffered a series of mini-strokes and the resulting depression kept her from airing for much of that year. Payne also acknowledged a 20-year struggle with alcohol addiction.
After WGN bought out his contract in 2011, Payne left to form his own production company and briefly work as a press secretary for political campaigns.
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