Rob Johnson (news anchor)
Encyclopedia
Robert S. Johnson is the principal news anchor at WBBM-TV
in Chicago.
in Greencastle, Indiana
in 1990. He is an outstanding member of DePauw's Lambda Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta
fraternity.
Johnson has covered numerous major news events in recent years - from Chicago to New Orleans, to Honduras. He anchored and reported from New Hampshire, Texas and Pennsylvania during the 2008 Presidential primaries. In 2007, Johnson traveled to Germany to cover Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn's visit to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to meet with wounded soldiers during the holiday season. Earlier that year, Johnson reported extensively on the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl
run in Miami, including live reports from South Florida during Super Bowl week.
In 2005, Johnson reported from New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The year prior Johnson covered John Kerry
's defeat in the 2004 Presidential election from Boston. During his career, Johnson has been at the scene of other breaking stories from Hurricane Andrew to the Centennial Park Bombing during the Atlanta Olympics, to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in Houston. Johnson has also covered Papal visits to Denver and St. Louis, and has reported from the countries of Haiti, Mexico, and Honduras.
Before moving to Chicago, Johnson worked at KPRC-TV
in Houston, Texas as an anchor and reporter. Prior to that, Johnson worked as an anchor and reporter at stations in Arkansas and Louisiana. Rob began his broadcasting career as a newsroom intern at CNN
in Washington, D.C.
On October 19, 1998, Johnson joined WLS-TV
in Chicago as a weekend news anchor and general assignment reporter. After a five-year deal at WLS concluded in 2003, Johnson renewed with the station for another three years.
In June 2006, Johnson chose not to renew his contract with WLS-TV. In August 2006, however, he wound up joining WBBM-TV
as a 5 p.m. news anchor and as a general assignment reporter on the station's 10 p.m. newscast. In June 2007, WBBM-TV promoted Johnson to be its 10 p.m. news anchor. He was made solo anchor of the 10pm newscast in April 2009, and since then that newscast has seen its biggest ratings growth in more than 20 years.
Johnson, his wife, and son live in Hinsdale, Illinois
.
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
in Chicago.
Early life and education
Johnson earned a bachelor's degree from DePauw UniversityDePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
in Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It was founded in 1821 by Scots-Irish American Ephraim Dukes on a land grant. He named the settlement for his hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylvania...
in 1990. He is an outstanding member of DePauw's Lambda Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
fraternity.
Professional career
Rob Johnson is the principal news anchor of WBBM-CBS 2 in Chicago. He joined CBS 2 in August 2006 from WLS-TV where he had worked since 1998 as weekend anchor and reporter. He co-anchors the 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm news effective September 13, 2010 with Kate Sullivan.Johnson has covered numerous major news events in recent years - from Chicago to New Orleans, to Honduras. He anchored and reported from New Hampshire, Texas and Pennsylvania during the 2008 Presidential primaries. In 2007, Johnson traveled to Germany to cover Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn's visit to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to meet with wounded soldiers during the holiday season. Earlier that year, Johnson reported extensively on the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
run in Miami, including live reports from South Florida during Super Bowl week.
In 2005, Johnson reported from New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The year prior Johnson covered John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
's defeat in the 2004 Presidential election from Boston. During his career, Johnson has been at the scene of other breaking stories from Hurricane Andrew to the Centennial Park Bombing during the Atlanta Olympics, to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in Houston. Johnson has also covered Papal visits to Denver and St. Louis, and has reported from the countries of Haiti, Mexico, and Honduras.
Before moving to Chicago, Johnson worked at KPRC-TV
KPRC-TV
KPRC-TV is the NBC affiliated television station based in Houston, Texas, and serving the Greater Houston television market. It has studios located in the Sharpstown district on the Southwest portion of the city, and has a transmitter site in unincorporated Fort Bend County near Missouri City...
in Houston, Texas as an anchor and reporter. Prior to that, Johnson worked as an anchor and reporter at stations in Arkansas and Louisiana. Rob began his broadcasting career as a newsroom intern at CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
On October 19, 1998, Johnson joined WLS-TV
WLS-TV
WLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
in Chicago as a weekend news anchor and general assignment reporter. After a five-year deal at WLS concluded in 2003, Johnson renewed with the station for another three years.
In June 2006, Johnson chose not to renew his contract with WLS-TV. In August 2006, however, he wound up joining WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
as a 5 p.m. news anchor and as a general assignment reporter on the station's 10 p.m. newscast. In June 2007, WBBM-TV promoted Johnson to be its 10 p.m. news anchor. He was made solo anchor of the 10pm newscast in April 2009, and since then that newscast has seen its biggest ratings growth in more than 20 years.
Awards
Johnson has won five Emmy Awards, including one in 2008 for anchoring the station's breaking news coverage of the NIU shootings. He has also garnered awards from the Chicago Headline Club, Associated Press, Houston Press Club, the Society for Professional Journalists, Illinois National Guard, Belle Center of Chicago, and Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.Personal
Johnson serves on the Board of Directors for the Brain Research Foundation, and is an Honorary Board Member of the H Foundation. He also dedicates much of his personal time to organizations that support people with disabilities. In his spare time he enjoys golfing, skiing, and ice hockey.Johnson, his wife, and son live in Hinsdale, Illinois
Hinsdale, Illinois
Hinsdale is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois; it is located partly in Cook County and mainly in DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 17,349 at the 2000 census. The town's ZIP code is 60521. The town has a rolling, wooded topography, with a quaint downtown and is a 30-minute...
.