Former employee of the Warwick Daily News, John Ruhle, last week called into the office of The Town & Country Journal to let us know of the passing in July of a close friend of his, and one of journalism’s most talented people, Bob Johnson. Johnson was born and raised in Warwick, attended Warwick State High, and rose to great heights in the industry, becoming a respected newspaper, radio and television executive. His start in journalism was as a first year cadet in the hectic newsroom of the Daily News as a 19 year-old. Four years later he went to work at the Courier Mail before being approached to go to the Sydney Morning Herald. A year later he moved to the Sun News-Pictorial in Melbourne.
There were many more moves and career changes to come. Johnson worked for a time in London; became a senior executive at John Fairfax and Sons Limited; was director of news and current affairs at Channel Seven; and became executive director of The Financial Review, The National Times, The Sun and The Sun-Herald. Along the way, he met the love of his life, Penelope (Penny) Tait. They soon married and were together for 57 years.
Another career challenge came his way in 1981 when he was made chief executive officer of the Macquarie Broadcasting Network, the owner of eight radio stations in city and rural areas. He found himself in charge of a very talented group of radio stars - Mike Carlton, Derryn Hinch, John Laws and Alan Jones. Years later, after successfully lifting the radio fortunes at Macquarie, he returned to Channel Seven, before retiring aged 60, in 1992. That didn’t mean he sat around all day in front of the telly; no, he decided to study arts at Macquarie University and majored in English and Philosophy.
Johnson was content with his life although his last few years were spent battling health problems including the blood disease Myeloma. However, up until his passing at age 92, he still possessed an excellent memory. Mr Ruhle often visited the Johnsons in Sydney to see how his old friend was going and, no doubt, to reminisce about ‘the old days’, as friends do. Bob Johnson is survived by Penny and children James and Susie.
