Meteorologist Mark Johnson, who has been with News 5 Cleveland for more than 30 years, has abruptly left the station. The station remains tight-lipped on reasons behind the veteran weatherman’s sudden leave.cleveland.com file photo
CLEVELAND — Meteorologist Mark Johnson, who has delivered weather forecasts to Northeast Ohio viewers for more than three decades, is no longer a part of the WEWS News 5 team.
Johnson’s abrupt departure was announced Friday in a statement from WEWS. The statement did not specifically explain Johnson’s departure, simply saying he “was no longer employed by WEWS.”
The statement gave a clear indication he was let go.
“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,” Steve Weinstein, vice president and general manager of WEWS said in the statement. “We cannot provide further details, as this is a personnel matter.”
News 5 Cleveland’s news director Jodie Heisner told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer Saturday morning that the station could not “comment beyond what was posted on our website.”
Johnson’s biography page has been wiped clean on the WEWS website. While it still appears in online searches, when it is opened it carries a message that says, “Page Not Found.”
Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer sought comment from Johnson but did not receive a response.
Just before 2 p.m. Friday, before the news broke that Johnson was no longer with News 5, he changed his Facebook cover photo to a stormy lavender-colored sky with a tree in the forefront.
Fans of Johnson have been posting on Johnson’s page since the news was announced.
“Mark what happened?? Omg I was stunned!! I always enjoyed your forecasts.”
“I’m completely in shock!!!! I’m so sorry Mark. You were the best thing at channel 5.”
A search for Johnson’s replacement will begin immediately, the station said.
Johnson is an award-winning journalist who graduated from Kent State University in 1988, according to his LinkedIn profile. Akron Beacon Journal reported, before his biography was taken down from News 5 Cleveland’s website, that he joined the station in November 1993 and was also the first Cleveland forecaster with both the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the National Weather Association (NWA) Seals of Approval.
Johnson had been a longtime presence on Cleveland airwaves, known for guiding viewers through severe storms and daily forecasts alike.
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Kaylee Remington is a trending news and metro reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Read her work online.
