Diane's Talking

06/09/2026

About 2 weeks ago I found out I was a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists DC Dateline Awards in the feature category for a story about financial literacy in black families. Thanks to a freelance gig for Think Speak Act, I learned about the Society for Financial Education and Professional Development . It was another 3 years before I could get a story on air featuring the non-profit. It hit syndication in February of 2025 on Matter of Fact w/ Soledad O'Brien. (Here's the link: https://youtu.be/EkR_GMsC3Hc?si=zz1NIyb3cUr23bm4) Tonight I find out if it wins a Dateline Award. This was the last story I did for them after it ended a 10 year run in the fall. I truly love my freelance life.

I reported and produced a story for Matter of Fact with Soledad O'B...

06/01/2026

Microsoft or Gmail. I feel as though I am the only person on the planet without a gmail account that I use on the regular. My work email is through Go Daddy which is run by Microsoft. I'm starting to feel fatigued, like I'm running through some extra hoops. What are your thoughts?

03/12/2026

This Throwback Thursday allows me to look back over my voiceover career for AARP. We are gearing up for the latest season of the award-winning AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) video series, AARP Policy Now. I have been narrating the series for 5 years. It showcases PPI reports and the thought leaders behind them. Since 2021, AARP Policy Now has won a prestigious GOLD Award for video journalism in 2024 and a Silver Telly Award in 2023 for Best Online Video Journalism Series. Here's the latest video we did about the AARP Livability Index™, a free, web-based tool that shows how communities across the country help people to live well at every age. Check out the link in and tell me what you think. Also, bookmark the AARP Livebility Index. You'll thank me later (for some of you, MUCH later! lol) https://loom.ly/YNSNeU0

02/28/2026

On this last day of Black History Month I have a story airing on WTOP News that asks some questions of one of Frederick Douglass's ancestors, Kenneth Morris, Jr., co-founder of the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. The non-profit works to educate about, and combat, modern day slavery, like human trafficking. The impetus for the story came from my reading Douglass's 1852 speech, "What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?" It made me wonder if everyone is happy and celebrating the 250th Anniversary of our country. Doing this interview was interesting for me as I've known Kenneth since he was a 20-something entertainer, working with my best friend. The longer he lived the more he grew in touch with his ancestors, guiding him to change career paths. Kenneth is also related to author and educator Booker T. Washington. I could do a 5 part series on him and his family and not even scratch the surface.

02/26/2026

I love Throwback Thursdays! They give me a chance to relive a fun moment or share a story. I was looking for something specific when I came across this from 2015. So fun! My former WUSA 9 colleague, Howard Bernstein used to do 9 questions with different people around the station. This December day was my turn. What's a question Howard didn't ask that you would have? https://loom.ly/KTjRpFE

02/20/2026

When a community comes together to help a Girl Scout troop, and Good Morning America recognizes them, it's a great way to end the week. I may not be storytelling on TV these days, but it's often still at the core of what I do. Laura Evans talks about putting good out into the world. This is that! Volunteers of America in Illinois supports a Veterans community, Hope Manor II/Hope Manor Village, and that includes supporting a Girl Scout troop. Raising awareness about them helped them sell a lot of cookies, which in turn, will help them operate with some extra funding. I love when I'm part of a Laura Evans Media win.

The troop, made up mostly of elementary-school-aged girls, is based in and around a veterans housing community.

02/19/2026

I mostly keep it sweetness and light here on my social pages, but I also want to keep it real. I recently came across this article about my departure from WFLA TV in Tampa. It was written by Eric Deggans (now critic-at-large for NPR and Knight Professor at Washington and Lee University) and published in the then-St. Petersburg Times 26 years ago today! I left a job I loved based on principal. It was a disappointing time in my life. And yet I am thriving as a broadcast, communications and PR professional in our Nation's Capital. I could not have imagined this life. Maybe I should have. https://loom.ly/v3hJ8xs

02/05/2026

This harkens back to a meeting of women lifting up women. In my work I must pay attention to logistics and other details when coordinating crews I hire and/or manage. These extremely talented ladies, who are part of the Diane's Talking team, came over for a brunch meeting to share ideas for elevating the product for clients. When I told my friend Jennifer Davis about it, she was intrigued, especially when I brought up call sheets. That's a document that has all the details of a shoot, including when, where, technical specs, etc. I provide one to each crew member for every shoot. Sometimes I include links to stories and/or pictures about people we'll interview. I've been using call sheets for years. Jennifer has never used one. How many of YOU use them, or something similar, in your business? Does it work?