2023 Inductee Diane Bowers

For 30 years at KIRO 7, Diane has been the calm voice during the chaos of breaking news, a supportive voice for her colleagues, and a steady voice for truth, fairness and the voiceless.

Diane Bowers studied to be a chemist. She graduated with a chemistry degree from Purdue University in 1974. But a part-time job as a radio announcer captured her heart. By 1976, she was at WOI television in Ames, Iowa, anchoring weekend sports, then producing, then becoming Assistant News Director in 1988.

In 1991 she joined KIRO Television as senior writer, then newscast producer. Before retiring in 2018, she earned four Emmys. In 2022, she returned periodically to produce newscasts for a short-handed newsroom.

Former News Director Tara Finestone describes Diane as “Someone who has championed the values of journalism: truth, fairness and giving a voice to the voiceless.”

Whether in the control room for the WTO protests, the Ride the Ducks crash, the murder of four Lakewood police officers or the Nisqually Earthquake, Diane’s calm voice cut through the chaos.

“Anyone who has been in the field on breaking news knows Diane’s voice is the one we want in our ear,” remembers reporter Deborah Horne. “The effect of her calm, kind presence when the world appears to be falling apart around us is priceless.”

Former Producer Jake Wiederrich describes her impact on younger colleagues, “She has steadied them when the pressure was on, celebrated their triumphs and been a mentor when they needed support.”

She now has 30+ years of volunteering for Homeward Pet Adoption Center in Woodinville and Old Dog Haven in Oak Harbor. And, in 2021, she set the world deadlift record for her age group, 254 pounds!