Bruce Johnson

Biography

Early life and education Born in Louisville, Kentucky, on June 5, 1950, He transferred to Northern Kentucky University, where he graduated in 1973 with a degree in political science. He later earned a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Cincinnati. Johnson was a Catholic seminarian before deciding to pursue both acting and journalism.

Professional career While still an undergraduate student, Johnson began his career at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1976, he joined WUSA 9 TV, the CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C.

Johnson distinguished himself early with notable news stories, including the 1982 Washington Metro train derailment that killed three people and injured 25 others. He covered the 1977 Hanafi Siege where 12 gunmen seized three Washington, D.C., buildings, held 149 hostages and killed a radio journalist colleague; a city hall police officer later died of a heart attack in hospital.

The early 1990s saw him report and anchor for the acclaimed "Capitols of the World" documentaries. Johnson was dispatched to Moscow, Paris, Stockholm, Budapest, Tokyo, Dakar, and Bangkok.

In March 2013, Johnson reported live from Rome on the election of Pope Francis. Years before, he also covered the Vatican installation of Washington Archbishop Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. From Washington, D.C., Johnson covered the visits of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.

Johnson covered the rise, fall, and rise again of D.C.'s best known and controversial local politician, the late D.C. Mayor and City Councilmember Marion Barry, including Barry's arrest at the Vista Hotel for smoking crack cocaine, his prison sentence and return to elective political office. Before his death, the "Mayor for Life," Marion Barry, had instructed his family and staff that Johnson be the only journalist to speak at his public funeral, which drew thousands. Johnson explained to the crowd, "I'm ... thankful to Marion Barry. I owe him my career."

In 1992, Johnson suffered a heart attack while covering a news story in Washington, D.C. He had just interviewed drug dealers working next to a youth summer jobs program hosted by D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly. He felt a tightening in his chest and his cameraman drove him to a local firehouse.

Johnson also authored the book Heart to Heart, featuring his story and the diverse comeback stories of 11 other male and female cardiac survivors. In 2018, Johnson returned to NKU as commencement speaker. He was awarded an honorary doctorate degree.

Death Johnson died on April 3, 2022, after a heart attack in Lewes, Delaware. He was 71 years old. In 1983–1984, Johnson earned the Ted Yates Award given only with the unanimous consent of the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). This award is given to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding professional and personal qualities in their contribution to the National Capital Chesapeake Bay region's television news and public affairs.

In 2003, Johnson was voted into the Society of Professional Journalists' Hall of Fame. The D.C. Council also recognized him as one of the nation's best urban-affairs and investigative journalists. In 2007, Johnson won a local Emmy for his report that resulted in much-needed repairs to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. He captured multiple Emmys for his reports on the city's violent crack epidemic in the 1980s and '90s and the plight of D.C.'s inner-city youth. Johnson received the Doctor's National Award from the Association of Black Cardiologists in 2011. he advocated for heart-healthy lifestyles.