A beloved Ohio TV weatherman is “no longer employed” as a meteorologist at an ABC affiliate he labored at for years, the station revealed in a imprecise assertion.
“News 5 wants to share with our viewers a change to our on-air staffing. Meteorologist Mark Johnson is no longer employed at WEWS,” the Cleveland-based information station introduced on Friday.
WEWS Vice President and Normal Supervisor Steve Weinstein added that the station takes “protecting” its viewers “very seriously.”
“We want our audiences to know that News 5 and its parent company, Scripps, take protecting our audiences’ trust very seriously by requiring our employees to adhere to the highest ethical standards,” Weinstein stated.
“We cannot provide further details, as this is a personnel matter.”
WEWS stated they’ve already begun trying to find Johnson’s substitute.
“Our commitment to being the weather team Northeast Ohio turns to for safety and accuracy remains steadfast,” the station wrote.
Information director Jodie Heisner advised Cleveland.com Saturday that the station couldn’t “comment beyond what was posted on our website.”
The Submit has reached out to Information 5 for remark.
The broadly adored meteorologist being let go from his place shocked locals, who rapidly took to social media to vocalize their confusion and outrage.
“You are the one who made me watch weather news. ABC is nothing without you,” one other wrote to the veteran weatherman.
“No idea what happened, that’s between you and WEWS, but hope to see you back on the air soon and that it’s somewhere in NE Ohio! Wish you luck whenever and wherever that may be!” wrote one other.
“More than anyone, you know there will be sunshine after a storm. Clevelanders stand with you … your stellar reputation cannot be tarnished and we celebrate your decades of loyalty to our community,” one other fan wrote to the meteorologist.
Although Johnson has not publicly made a press release on his departure from the station, the beloved weatherman replied to at least one person’s publish on Saturday.
“Well no reason for me to ever watch WEWS 5 every again. Not without Mark Johnson!” the fan wrote.
“I still love my News5 Family. Some great people,” Johnson replied.
Whereas he might not be employed at WEWS, Johnson nonetheless took to Fb Sunday evening, asking residents in Ashtabula County in the event that they felt a small 2.5 magnitude earthquake within the space.
The veteran meteorologist graduated from Kent State College in 1988 with a bachelor’s diploma in mass communications and media research, in line with his LinkedIn.
In 1993, Johnson began working for Information 5 and spent greater than three a long time delivering climate forecasts to residents in Northeastern Ohio, Cleveland.com reported — including that his biography web page on Information 5 Cleveland’s web site had already been taken down.
The outlet reported that he was the primary Cleveland-area forecaster to carry each the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the Nationwide Climate Affiliation (NWA) Seals of Approval.
