Diana Williams
Encyclopedia
Diana Williams is a news anchor at WABC-TV
in New York City
, where she currently co-anchors the 5 p.m. Eyewitness News
broadcast with Sade Baderinwa
and hosts the Sunday morning public affairs program Eyewitness News Up Close with Diana Williams, which airs on Sunday mornings at 11am. She and her husband and three children reside in Westchester County, New York
.
in 1980 with a degree in Economics and began her television career in Charlotte, North Carolina
, where she worked as a reporter at WSOC-TV
and then as weeknight six and 11 anchor at WBTV
. From 1987 to 1991, she worked at WNEV-TV (now WHDH-TV
) in Boston.
She joined WABC-TV in 1991 as a reporter and eventually became weekend anchor. Within a year she was co-anchor of WABC's 11 PM Eyewitness News
broadcast alongside Bill Beutel. In 1999 she joined Beutel on the 6 PM newscast as well, becoming Beutel's first co-anchor at 6 PM since a rotation of anchors after Roger Grimsby
's firing in 1986. Beginning in 1999, Williams co-anchored the 11 PM news with Bill Ritter, later doing the 6 PM news with him in 2001, as well, following Beutel's retirement from the anchor chair. She became the 5:00 pm anchor in 2003, first alongside Roz Abrams, and later with Sade Baderinwa.
. She has gone to Ireland
to report on poverty there, and covered the Gulf War
. She also covered the visits of Pope John Paul II
to New York City and Baltimore, Maryland.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=bios&id=3301223 Williams has traveled to Israel to cover President Bush and his attempts for Mid-East peace and was in Israel for Pope John Paul II historic visit in 2000.
When Williams joined the 5 p.m. news, she was paired briefly with veteran anchor Roz Abrams, making them the first successful female evening anchor team in New York City television history. Sade Baderinwa
replaced Abrams when she left for WCBS-TV
, Channel 2.
Recently, Williams and her son, Nathaniel, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
. Williams blogged about the climb using a satellite phone and took a camera to videtape the journey. She returned with several reports on the trip. She reached the top of the mountain on July 23, 2007, just after 1 a.m. New York City time. http://www.insidethefive.7online.com/
Williams followed the 2008 Presidential Election. In 2008, she went to Washington, D.C., and then to Jerusalem to cover the mid-eastern peace talks. In addition to that, Williams and her friend, Bill Ritter were co-anchors in this election's National Convention
s. Ritter covered the Democratic National Convention
in Denver with Dave Evans and Sandra Bookman
. Williams covered the Republican National Convention
in St. Paul, Minnesota with Dave Evans
and Jeff Pegues.
Williams also makes appearances on Eyewitness News at Noon and covers breaking news in the afternoon, such as during Governor David Paterson's recent speech about the economic situation in New York State; the Spitzer sex scandal; and previews the stories to be featured on Eyewitness News at 5PM.
On September 23, 2008, Diana Williams received the Tanzanian Award for her daring adventures of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2007. She has also climbed Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. This June she and her son will attempt to climb Mt Rainier in Washington State. She has received numerous Emmy's for her reporting.
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she currently co-anchors the 5 p.m. Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
broadcast with Sade Baderinwa
Sade Baderinwa
Folasade Olayinka Baderinwa, known professionally as Sade Baderinwa , is an Emmy Award-winning news anchor at New York's WABC Channel 7. She co-anchors the weekday 5 p.m...
and hosts the Sunday morning public affairs program Eyewitness News Up Close with Diana Williams, which airs on Sunday mornings at 11am. She and her husband and three children reside in Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
.
Career
Williams graduated from Duke UniversityDuke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in 1980 with a degree in Economics and began her television career in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, where she worked as a reporter at WSOC-TV
WSOC-TV
WSOC-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. The station's studio is located at North Tryon and 23rd Streets, just north of Uptown Charlotte, and is shared with sister station WAXN-TV . The transmitter is located just outside...
and then as weeknight six and 11 anchor at WBTV
WBTV
WBTV, channel 3 , is the CBS affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is one of two flagship stations of Raycom Media. WBTV's studios are located off Morehead Street just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County, North Carolina...
. From 1987 to 1991, she worked at WNEV-TV (now WHDH-TV
WHDH-TV
WHDH, digital channel 42 , is an NBC-affiliated television station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest NBC station not owned by the network. Owned by Sunbeam Television, WHDH is a sister station to CW affiliate WLVI...
) in Boston.
She joined WABC-TV in 1991 as a reporter and eventually became weekend anchor. Within a year she was co-anchor of WABC's 11 PM Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News
Eyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
broadcast alongside Bill Beutel. In 1999 she joined Beutel on the 6 PM newscast as well, becoming Beutel's first co-anchor at 6 PM since a rotation of anchors after Roger Grimsby
Roger Grimsby
Roger Grimsby was an American journalist, television news anchor and actor. Grimsby is known as one of the pioneers of local television broadcast news.-Early life:...
's firing in 1986. Beginning in 1999, Williams co-anchored the 11 PM news with Bill Ritter, later doing the 6 PM news with him in 2001, as well, following Beutel's retirement from the anchor chair. She became the 5:00 pm anchor in 2003, first alongside Roz Abrams, and later with Sade Baderinwa.
Accomplishments at WABC-TV
Williams has traveled around the world while covering stories for Eyewitness NewsEyewitness News
Eyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
. She has gone to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to report on poverty there, and covered the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. She also covered the visits of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
to New York City and Baltimore, Maryland.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=bios&id=3301223 Williams has traveled to Israel to cover President Bush and his attempts for Mid-East peace and was in Israel for Pope John Paul II historic visit in 2000.
When Williams joined the 5 p.m. news, she was paired briefly with veteran anchor Roz Abrams, making them the first successful female evening anchor team in New York City television history. Sade Baderinwa
Sade Baderinwa
Folasade Olayinka Baderinwa, known professionally as Sade Baderinwa , is an Emmy Award-winning news anchor at New York's WABC Channel 7. She co-anchors the weekday 5 p.m...
replaced Abrams when she left for WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
, Channel 2.
Recently, Williams and her son, Nathaniel, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. Williams blogged about the climb using a satellite phone and took a camera to videtape the journey. She returned with several reports on the trip. She reached the top of the mountain on July 23, 2007, just after 1 a.m. New York City time. http://www.insidethefive.7online.com/
Williams followed the 2008 Presidential Election. In 2008, she went to Washington, D.C., and then to Jerusalem to cover the mid-eastern peace talks. In addition to that, Williams and her friend, Bill Ritter were co-anchors in this election's National Convention
National Convention
During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly which sat from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795 . It held executive power in France during the first years of the French First Republic...
s. Ritter covered the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in Denver with Dave Evans and Sandra Bookman
Sandra Bookman
Sandra Bookman is an American television news reporter and anchor. She is currently a weekday reporter and the weekend anchor at WABC-TV in New York City. She co-anchors the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekend editions of Eyewitness News.She joined the station in 1998 from WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia where...
. Williams covered the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in St. Paul, Minnesota with Dave Evans
Dave Evans (reporter)
Dave Evans is a reporter for WABC-TV In New York City. Evans joined the station in 1999 from a sister station in Texas.Evans was also a reporter for KAKE-TV in Wichita, Kansas for a few years. More recently, he was a reporter for WFAA-TV in Dallas, where he was a senior political reporter for a...
and Jeff Pegues.
Williams also makes appearances on Eyewitness News at Noon and covers breaking news in the afternoon, such as during Governor David Paterson's recent speech about the economic situation in New York State; the Spitzer sex scandal; and previews the stories to be featured on Eyewitness News at 5PM.
On September 23, 2008, Diana Williams received the Tanzanian Award for her daring adventures of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2007. She has also climbed Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. This June she and her son will attempt to climb Mt Rainier in Washington State. She has received numerous Emmy's for her reporting.