Popular Ohio weatherman abruptly taken off air as local ABC affiliate cites 'personnel matter'
WEWS News 5, a local ABC affiliate in Cleveland, Ohio, announced on Friday that Meteorologist Mark Johnson was no longer employed at the station after delivering weather forecasts for nearly three decades at the affiliate.
"News 5 wants to share with our viewers a change to our on-air staffing. Meteorologist Mark Johnson is no longer employed at WEWS," a statement from the outlet read.
Jodie Heisner, the station's news director, told Cleveland.com that they couldn't "comment beyond what was posted on our website."
"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. We cannot provide further details, as this is a personnel matter," Steve Weinstein, WEWS vice president and general manager said, according to the statement.
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Several fans have taken to Johnson's Facebook page to post in support of the weatherman. One user wrote, "Well no reason for me to ever watch WEWS 5 every [sic] again!"
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Johnson replied to the post on Facebook, as reported by The New York Post, and said, "I still love my News5 Family. Some great people."
"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," another fan wrote to the meteorologist.
Johnson has not issued an official statement about his employment. Another News 5 meteorologist, Katie McGraw, acknowledged she was stepping in for Johnson during a broadcast on Friday, and another stepped in for Johnson on May 6, according to News 5 broadcasts.
The former meteorologist posted on Facebook and on Threads about a small earthquake in the area on Sunday.
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"Did You Feel It?? Small earthquake just before 11pm in Ashtabula County... Lake Erie Bluffs seismograph shows the quake here. 10:47pm near Harpersfield. Measured 2.5.," Johnson wrote on social media.
Johnson's last appearance on the station appears to be on Monday, May 5, when he appeared on News 5 throughout the day, according to the News 5 broadcasts.Original article source: Popular Ohio weatherman abruptly taken off air as local ABC affiliate cites 'personnel matter'
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