Longtime Boise KTVB-TV anchor, viral-meme star announces end-of-year retirement
The longtime KTVB-TV news anchor — made famous recently around the country for a tweet that went viral consisting simply of his name and a station biography— is retiring from the Boise station after 30 years, according to a news release from KTVB.
Johnson’s last broadcast is not scheduled until Dec. 23, though, so Idaho viewers will continue to see him for much of 2021 on the local NBC affiliate.
“It has been a blessing and an incredible honor to serve our region while working at the most amazing station in America for the better part of my life,” Johnson said in the news release. “I never imagined I would go to so many places around the country and the world to cover events and stories that mattered to Idahoans.
“More importantly for me, being able to live and raise a family in such an amazing community while working with hundreds of colleagues who have been more like a family to me has been the greatest gift.”
Johnson has covered numerous prominent happenings in Boise and also in the world of sports, such as the Super Bowl, a World Series and other events. He won an Edward R. Murrow Award in broadcasting for his coverage of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
KTVB has earned multiple regional Emmy awards with Johnson as lead anchor.
Johnson’s retirement is preceded by the accidental tweet that caused many across the country to learn his name, even landing him a reference on late-night TV on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
In the news release, Johnson said he is looking forward to spending more time with his family, including his four children and his first grandson.
“Though I will miss the daily rush of the newsroom and the front row seat to the news of the day, I look forward to taking a step back and enjoying all of the wonders Idaho has to offer.”
