John Johnson (reporter)
Encyclopedia
John Johnson is an American
television news reporter. He had been a fixture in New York City
television news for many years.
In 1972, he began a long run at WABC
. In the late 1980s, he served as a rotating anchor of the 6 p.m. newscast in the aftermath of Roger Grimsby
's firing with Kaity Tong
and Bill Beutel. Johnson, who had also anchored the station's weekend newscasts and served as a reporter prior to this, eventually returned to reporting as senior correspondent after WABC made the decision to have Beutel anchor the 6 p.m. newscast by himself. During his years as senior correspondent Johnson covered the first Gulf war. He also covered the war in Bosnia and was one of the first reporters landing with American troops in Somalia. One of Johnson's last assignments at WABC was his reporting at the O.J. Simpson murder trial in 1994-95.
While the trial was still going on Johnson left WABC in March 1995 and became co-anchor of WCBS
' 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts in June of that same year. Johnson remained at the station until October 1996 when, along with several other notable personalities, he was fired. The timing of the firings was peculiar as Johnson and co-anchor Michele Marsh had offered a preview of the upcoming 11 pm newscast at the end of the 6 pm news, with the firings occurring in the interim four and a half hours.
Johnson was not out of work for long, as he and his WCBS co-anchor Michele Marsh were hired by WNBC to anchor the station's new noon newscast. After a year, however, Johnson left WNBC due to personal reasons and never returned to TV.
Before WABC, Johnson joined ABC News
in 1968 as a documentary producer, director and writer. He then became a network correspondent and covered such stories as the Attica prison uprising.
During his 30-year television news career, Johnson won eight Emmys and numerous other awards as a producer, writer and director.
Johnson was to resurface again with the publication of his well-received autobiography Only Son: A Memoir (Warner Books) in 2002.
Johnson, a former associate professor of art at Lincoln University
in Pennsylvania and at Indiana University
before his broadcast career, resumed his painting career. His paintings, which have been shown in Europe and the United States, were featured at the Walter Wickiser Gallery in Manhattan's art centers: Soho and Chelsea.
Johnson has portrayed himself in such Hollywood movies as "CopLand
" and "54
" He was also featured in the award-winning documentary, "Eyes on the Prize."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television news reporter. He had been a fixture in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
television news for many years.
In 1972, he began a long run at WABC
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
. In the late 1980s, he served as a rotating anchor of the 6 p.m. newscast in the aftermath of Roger Grimsby
Roger Grimsby
Roger Grimsby was an American journalist, television news anchor and actor. Grimsby is known as one of the pioneers of local television broadcast news.-Early life:...
's firing with Kaity Tong
Kaity Tong
Kaity Tong is a Chinese-born American broadcast journalist who has been a television news anchor in New York City since 1981.Born in Qingdao in the Peoples Republic of China to George and Anita Tong, Tong came to the United States with her family at age four. Growing up in Washington D.C., Tong was...
and Bill Beutel. Johnson, who had also anchored the station's weekend newscasts and served as a reporter prior to this, eventually returned to reporting as senior correspondent after WABC made the decision to have Beutel anchor the 6 p.m. newscast by himself. During his years as senior correspondent Johnson covered the first Gulf war. He also covered the war in Bosnia and was one of the first reporters landing with American troops in Somalia. One of Johnson's last assignments at WABC was his reporting at the O.J. Simpson murder trial in 1994-95.
While the trial was still going on Johnson left WABC in March 1995 and became co-anchor of WCBS
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
' 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts in June of that same year. Johnson remained at the station until October 1996 when, along with several other notable personalities, he was fired. The timing of the firings was peculiar as Johnson and co-anchor Michele Marsh had offered a preview of the upcoming 11 pm newscast at the end of the 6 pm news, with the firings occurring in the interim four and a half hours.
Johnson was not out of work for long, as he and his WCBS co-anchor Michele Marsh were hired by WNBC to anchor the station's new noon newscast. After a year, however, Johnson left WNBC due to personal reasons and never returned to TV.
Before WABC, Johnson joined ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
in 1968 as a documentary producer, director and writer. He then became a network correspondent and covered such stories as the Attica prison uprising.
During his 30-year television news career, Johnson won eight Emmys and numerous other awards as a producer, writer and director.
Johnson was to resurface again with the publication of his well-received autobiography Only Son: A Memoir (Warner Books) in 2002.
Johnson, a former associate professor of art at Lincoln University
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
Lincoln University is the United States' first degree-granting historically black university. It is located near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university also hosts a Center for Graduate Studies in the City of Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides...
in Pennsylvania and at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
before his broadcast career, resumed his painting career. His paintings, which have been shown in Europe and the United States, were featured at the Walter Wickiser Gallery in Manhattan's art centers: Soho and Chelsea.
Johnson has portrayed himself in such Hollywood movies as "CopLand
Copland
Copland was a project at Apple Computer to create an updated version of the Macintosh operating system. It was to have introduced protected memory, preemptive multitasking and a number of new underlying operating system features, yet still be compatible with existing Mac software...
" and "54
54 (film)
54 is a 1998 drama film written and directed by Mark Christopher, starring Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, and Neve Campbell...
" He was also featured in the award-winning documentary, "Eyes on the Prize."
Sources
- "Celebrating the Birth of Eyewitness News" nytimes.com 11/10/08.
- "WNBC Anchor Quits to Nurse Dying Dad" nydailynews.com 8/17/97.
- "Axed Newscasters Anchored by Family. Marsh and Johnson Gather Strength for New Jobs at Ch. 4" nydailynews.com 10/22/96.
- "Anchor Away: John Johnson Jumping from Ch. 7. to Ch. 2" nydailynews.com 3/17/95.