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John Roland (November 25, 1941 – May 7, 2023) was an American news anchor and reporter. Pittsburgh native Roland began his broadcasting career in the 1960s, working for NBC News in Los Angeles and covering high-profile events such as the Robert F. Kennedy assassination and the Charles Manson trial. He joined WNEW-TV in New York City in 1969 and remained there for the rest of his career. Roland served as a political reporter, weekend anchor, and main anchor for various newscasts. He retired in 2004 after a long tenure with the station.
In 1988, Roland was suspended by WNYW-TV for an on-air argument with a mentally-ill homeless woman, Joyce Brown. He later apologized, and the station broadcast his apology. Roland has also made film appearances as a television anchor and as himself. In 1983, Roland disarmed and shot a robber during a late-night restaurant robbery, sustaining a head injury that required stitches.
In his early years with WNEW/WNYW, he was a political reporter and weekend anchor for The 10 O'Clock News, and even did a cooking segment that was shown frequently on the newscast. He took over as the main anchor for the weeknight edition in 1979 after Bill Jorgensen, who had presented the newscast from its start in 1967, left to join the rival station WPIX. Over the years, Roland's co-anchors included Bill McCreary,"Roland: Still optimistic after all these years", New York Daily News (May 6, 1986), p. C22. Cora-Ann Mihalik, and Rosanna Scotto. He left the 10:00p.m. newscast in 2003 in order to prepare for his role as anchor of the new 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. newscasts that WNYW was preparing, which were launched that fall. His long run with the station came to an end upon his retirement on June 4, 2004.
In the late 1980s, Roland also opened a restaurant in New York named Marcello, with two partners, one of whom left the venture before the restaurant opened.Joanna Torrey, "In the Kitchen With... John Roland", New York Daily News (September 11, 1988), p. 26.
On September 10, 2002, Roland was rushed to a local hospital after experiencing severe symptoms of diverticulitis. He needed 18 blood transfusions, and doctors had to remove part of his colon. Roland successfully recovered and returned to work at the station in late October.
On May 11, 1983, Roland and his friend were having a late-night dinner at the Racing Club, a restaurant on New York City's East Side, when three armed men burst in and attempted to rob customers. Roland disarmed one of the robbers and shot him in the leg. The other two then attacked Roland. One of the men struck him with a pistol, causing a laceration on his head that required 36 stitches. The police managed to arrest the three robbers and their getaway driver as they attempted to flee from the scene.
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