Diane Allen

Diane Allen
Allen in 2017
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 7th district
In office
January 13, 1998 – January 9, 2018
Preceded byJack Casey
Succeeded byTroy Singleton
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 7th district
In office
January 9, 1996 – January 13, 1998
Serving with Carmine DeSopo
Preceded bySteven M. Petrillo
George Williams
Succeeded byHerb Conaway
Jack Conners
Personal details
Born (1948-03-08) March 8, 1948 (age 76)
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Sam
Children2
EducationBucknell University (BA)

Diane B. Allen (born March 16, 1948, Newark, New Jersey) is an American journalist, nightly news anchor and Republican politician. She worked with New Jersey's 7th legislative district in the New Jersey Assembly from 1996 to 1998. She later worked with the New Jersey Senate from 1998 to 2018.

Allen was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey during the 2021 gubernatorial election. She was selected by Jack Ciattarelli.[1]

Broadcasting career

Allen began her broadcast news career in 1970 with WJJZ. WJJZ was an AM radio station based in Mount Holly, New Jersey. She worked at the New Jersey Network. Allen later joined an ABC station in Chicago.

In 1976, Allen returned home to cover New Jersey politics for KYW-TV. That was the CBS station in Philadelphia. In 1985, she co-moderated the New Jersey gubernatorial debate between Governor Thomas Kean and Peter Shapiro. She left the network in 1988. Allen later won a lawsuit against CBS for discriminatory practices.[2]

In 1989, Allen joined WCAU. That was the NBC station in Philadelphia. She stayed there until 1994.[3]

In 2000, Allen briefly served as an interim anchor for CN8 while another anchorwoman was on vacation. This prompted criticism from Senate Minority Leader Richard Codey. The latter criticized her for conducting her duties as an officeholder while reporting on politics.

Allen is the President for VidComm, Inc.. It is a media production company she founded after her broadcasting career ended.

Accolades

During her career, Allen won eight Daytime Emmy Awards.[4]

The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Allen into their Hall of Fame in 2005.[5]

Other offices

Senator Allen operated as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1996, 2000, as well as in 2004 and 2012.

In 2008, Allen was a leading candidate to succeed Jim Saxton in the U.S. House.[6] However, she announced on November 29, 2007 that she would not run for the seat. Allen cited political faction in the Burlington County Republican Party.

In 2009, Allen was a leading candidate to join Chris Christie's ticket as the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor. Christie ultimately chose Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno instead.

References

  1. "Who is the Jack Ciattarelli Running Mate Diane Allen". The New Jersey Patch. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  2. "KYW-TV News Alumni". Archived from the original on October 25, 2009. Retrieved 2010-10-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "WCAU-TV News Alumni". Archived from the original on October 25, 2009. Retrieved 2012-07-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), WCAU. Retrieved July 6, 2006.
  4. "Jack and Diane: Ciattarelli Picks Allen as Lieutenant Governor Candidate". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  5. "The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia - Diane Allen". Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia. 2005. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  6. Saxton, citing his health, to retire after this term Archived 2012-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, The Star Ledger, November, 2007