NBC, Telemundo promote Diane Hannes to head Connecticut stations

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Diane Hannes

Over her remarkable three decades in Chicago television, Diane Hannes has risen from promotion writer at one station to head of marketing at another — with a stop at "The Oprah Winfrey Show" along the way.

On Thursday Hannes was named president and general manager of WVIT, the NBC-owned station in Hartford, Connecticut; and WRDM, the Telemundo station in Hartford. She will oversee all station operations, including news, digital, sales, marketing/promotions, community affairs and operations/technology.

Since 2003 Hannes has been vice president of creative services at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 and Telemundo Chicago WSNS-Channel 44, where she earned high marks for her talent, creativity and personal skills. As a media representative for both stations, she was among the best in the business.

“I’m proud of the work we’ve done in Chicago and honored to take on this new opportunity with our Connecticut stations," she said.

A graduate of Lake Park High School in Roselle and Benedictine University in Lisle, Hannes began her career in 1987 as a promotion writer and program assistant at WPWR-Channel 50. After a stint as a promotion writer and producer for "The Oprah Winfrey Show," she returned to WPWR where she managed the promotions department and oversaw the station's ownership transition to Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32.

Calling Hannes “one of our division’s best brand directors,” Valari Staab, president of NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, said in a statement: “She is a great manager and the perfect person to lead our NBC and Telemundo Connecticut stations.

“At NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago, she successfully introduced the stations’ signature news, weather, I-Team, consumer and ‘Making A Difference’ brands, among others. Her efforts are helping to make our stations Chicagoans’ go-to sources for breaking news, severe weather, consumer reporting and in-depth investigations – in any language. I look forward to seeing the new milestones Diane and our NBC/Telemundo Connecticut teams will accomplish together.”

A search is underway for her replacement in Chicago.