Posted by Bud on April 25, 2010 at 13:17:16:
Courtesy of Lewis Lazare, Chicago Sun-Times:
Rob Johnson takes 5
MEDIA | WBBM's anchor answers fistful of questions
Rob Johnson is not only WBBM-Channel 2's lead anchor, he's the only full-time anchor for the evening newscasts -- at least for now. It's a lot of responsibility, but Johnson has shouldered it with considerable poise. He even managed to find a few minutes to answer five questions for us:
Q. You're a veteran in the TV news business now. What drew you into television news, and have you ever regretted the path you took?
A. I was intrigued by the idea of telling someone's story, of interviewing interesting people and of informing people in a responsible way. Being where the action is is always a fascinating place to be. I have never had any regrets.
Q. Doomsayers say the local TV newscast must change or die. What's your take?
A. Television is changing like so many other businesses are changing in this day and age, but I am bullish on our industry. Change is not always a bad thing, and when you have a public that can get information at their fingertips every minute of the day, you'd better offer them stories on your newscast that they haven't seen before . . . something they didn't know. That is our daily mission.
Q. You've been at WBBM-Channel 2 nearly four years. A lot has happened -- and changed -- in the station's news. What was the toughest moment so far?
A. It's ongoing. The reality that it takes time to earn viewers' trust and respect. We're on our way.
Q. You've had ample experience both as solo anchor and as co-anchor of WBBM's evening newscasts. What do you find most differs about anchoring the news solo vs. co-anchoring?
A. When you have a co-anchor, you certainly share the load and have someone you can bounce things off of. When you solo anchor, it's all on you. I do love solo anchoring, but the biggest difference is that there is more reliance and trust put in on-air colleagues and behind the scenes staff. Fortunately for me, they are a dynamic bunch!
Q. If your boss, WBBM news director Jeff Kiernan, were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A. A new co-anchor.