Mary Laney biography

Mary Laney is a multi-award winning journalist whose career includes reporting for radio, television and print for the past three decades. Prior to joining the Sun-Times as a columnist on the Editorial pages, Mary was a Midwest Correspondent for CNN. Prior to that, Mary was Editorial Director of NBC, WMAQ-TV in Chicago. She held several positions over her years at the station, including Political Commentator, Anchor of the noon and 6 p.m. newscasts, host of live programs, and breaking news reporter.

Mary moved to NBC after nearly a decade at CBS, WBBM-TV in Chicago where she began as a writer, moved to producer, and was named reporter for the station's prime newscast at 10 p.m. following her series of reports as an undercover "prisoner" in Cook County Jail for four days and nights (not an easy way to get a reporter's contract).

Prior to her years at WBBM-TV, Mary was a writer, producer and local reporter at WBBM Newsradio 78, where she also wrote, produced and hosted the weekly half hour program, "News in Review", highlighting the top national, international, and local stories of the week. During this time she also wrote articles for magazines and newspapers, including a five-part series on the culture of the time which ran in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Following her graduation from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, with a double major in English and Political Science, Mary was offered a writing/reporting position in the news department of WFLD-TV in Chicago. From there she moved to a cable station where she wrote and delivered hourly newscasts. It was the beginning of a career that would earn her over 100 awards, including 8 Emmy Awards, 4 Peter Lisagor Awards, and, the first place award from American Women in Radio and Television.