WLS Chicago Names A Pair Of Assistant News Directors

News veterans Doug Whitmire and Nneka Nwosu Faison have been appointed assistant news director for ABC-owned WLS Chicago.

In their new roles, Doug Whitmire will oversee news gathering, day-of newscasts and operations. Faison will oversee digital, including ABC 7’s new streaming newscasts, specials and storytelling.

WLS President and General Manager John Idler said: “The collaboration of two outstanding individuals sharing insight and experience will extend ABC 7’s legacy of excellence and continue to set the standard for great journalism in Chicago.”

Emmy-winning producer Whitmire has been part of the ABC 7 Eyewitness News team for 18 years, joining the station in 2003. Since then he has risen through the ranks, from news writer/producer and executive producer/morning news to his current position as executive producer of the 10 p.m. newscast. Under his leadership, ABC 7 Eyewitness News at 10 p.m. has been honored with four regional Emmy Awards for Best Newscast in the past five years.

During his tenure as executive producer, Whitmire has been at the helm of the station’s election night coverage, Chicago Cubs World Series Championship coverage and coverage of multiple tornado outbreaks that included open-ended coverage of breaking weather.

Whitmire started his career in broadcasting as a radio anchor/host and moved to television as a reporter/producer at WTVG Toledo, Ohio. He is a graduate of Bowling Green State University.

Nneka Nwosu Faison, a Harvard University Nieman Foundation for Journalism Fellow and Emmy Award-winning producer, joins WLS from WCVB Boston. As executive producer at WCVBV, Faison led the award-winning newsmagazine program Chronicle to double-digit growth in key demographics. During the pandemic, she also created several interactive show franchises including History Quiz, Cooking at Home and Viewer’s Choice. She joined WCVB in 2013 as a producer for Chronicle and was promoted to managing editor before taking over leadership of the show as executive producer.

Prior to WCVB, Faison was a reporter/multimedia journalist for WTNH New Haven, Connecticut.

She has also taught a course called Video Storytelling for Social Media as an adjunct professor at Harvard University Extension School.

Faison was recently named one of Boston’s Most Influential Women in 2021 and was chosen as a “40 under 40” business leader in the Boston Business Journal. She graduated from Princeton University and received a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York City.

Whitmire will begin his assistant news director duties on Dec. 27, and Faison will begin her new role on Jan. 24.