For nearly three decades, he attracted audiences to The 10 O’Clock News at WNYW-5 in New York, the Fox Television Stations-owned East Coast flagship station that was once a key Metromedia property with the WNEW-TV calls.
Now, New Yorkers are paying tribute to John Roland, who died Sunday (5/7) at the age of 81.
Roland began his broadcasting career in the 1960s, and in 1966 took a job with NBC News, in Los Angeles. Shortly after that job, he joined Metromedia’s KTTV-11, and covered major stories including the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel and the Charles Manson trial.
In December 1969, however, Roland would transfer from KTTV to what was then WNEW-TV. At first, Roland was on the political beat during the week and in the anchor chair for The 10 O’clock News on weekends, WNYW notes.
Roland became the lead anchor for the weeknight 10 O’Clock News in 1979. Co-anchors across his tenure at the station include Bill McCreary, Cora-Ann Mihalik and Rosanna Scotto.
Today the anchor of Good Day New York, Scotto said, “He taught me about fairness in presenting the news. I felt his passion and respect for the audience who watched his nightly broadcast … Sitting next to John was always a learning lesson. He took pride in his writing and his down-to-earth communicating. It was never more evident than anchoring next to him during the 9/11 attacks.”
In 2002, Roland nearly died while at WNYW-5 after experiencing diverticulitis. At the time, he shared his experience with viewers in an on-air message. June 4, 2004 was his final broadcast, and he retired. By February 2023, Roland was retired and living in South Florida.
Roland was married four times and has no children.
