A well-known weatherman from Ohio recently announced he is “no longer employed” by the ABC affiliate where he has spent many years, as revealed in a somewhat unclear statement from the station.
“News 5 wants to share changes to audiences and on-air staff. Meteorologist Mark Johnson is no longer employed at WEWS,” the Cleveland station said on Friday.
Steve Weinstein, the vice president and general manager of WEWS, emphasized the station’s commitment to safeguarding its audience’s trust.
“We want our audience to know that News5 and its parent company, Scripps, take the trust of our audience very seriously by requiring employees to adhere to the highest ethical standards,” Weinstein mentioned. “We can’t provide details as this is a HR issue.”
The station is actively seeking a replacement for Johnson.
“Our commitment to maintaining a reliable weather team in Northeast Ohio is unwavering, focused on safety and accuracy,” they noted.
News Director Jodie Heissner stated that the station couldn’t comment beyond what was posted on its website.
Locals were taken aback by Johnson’s abrupt departure.
“You’re the reason I tuned in for weather updates. ABC isn’t the same without you,” one fan expressed to the veteran weatherman.
Another wrote, “I don’t know what happened, but I hope you’re back on air soon, maybe in Northeast Ohio!”
Comments continued, with one admirer stating, “I believe the sun shines after storms. The people of Cleveland are with you. Your incredible reputation is intact, and we appreciate your loyalty to our community.”
While Johnson hasn’t publicly commented on his exit, he did engage with one fan’s post on Saturday.
“There’s no reason to watch WEWS 5 without Mark Johnson!” another fan wrote.
“I still cherish my News5 family. They’re great people,” Johnson replied.
Even though he’s no longer with WEWS, Johnson was still active on Facebook over the weekend, asking residents in Ashtabula County about a slight 2.5 magnitude earthquake in the area.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Johnson graduated from Kent State University in 1988 and began working at News 5 in 1993. He dedicated over 30 years to providing weather forecasts for the northeastern Ohio community.
Reportedly, he was the first Cleveland-area forecaster to achieve both the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the National Weather Association (NWA) seal of approval.
