Award-winning journalist Hannah McDonald joined the NewsChannel 5 Nashville team in August 2018.
In April 2020, Hannah was honored to receive second place in the Associated Press contest for best television reporter in Tennessee. Hannah's submission included her one-on-one interview with Cyntoia Brown. Later that year, Hannah was nominated for two Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards for writing and her coverage of the Nashville tornado.
Before moving to Nashville she worked in Central Pennsylvania as a general assignment reporter at WGAL. Hannah covered big stories like the Penn State sex abuse scandal and Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial. She also produced the station’s first mini-series, which spotlighted student life at the Milton Hershey School in Hershey. It was awarded best education series by the Pennsylvania Associated Press and was nominated for an Emmy. In June of 2018, Hannah also won an AP award for feature reporting.
Hannah grew up in Rhode Island and graduated from The Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Her career first took her to Burlington, Vermont where she worked at WPTZ as a reporter and anchor. During that time, she covered the Shawshank Redemption-style prison escape in Dannemora, New York that resulted in a three week manhunt. The assignment made national headlines.
Hannah says another highlight in her career was when she traveled to London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and worked for NBC.
Outside of work, Hannah enjoys photography, the ocean, road trips, her cat named Puppet, the New England Patriots, spending time with her husband and visiting family.
