by Mary Nam,
April 29, 2024
SEATTLE — Longtime KOMO News Anchor Eric Johnson will retire in June after a nearly four-decade career in local television.
Eric’s 39-year career in television began in Boise, Idaho, shortly after graduating from Washington State University. He had dreamed of becoming a sportscaster since he was 9 years old after watching Howard Cosell on Monday Night Football.
“I saw Howard Cosell and it was, ‘Woah! What is that? I want to do that!’” Eric laughed recalling that day.
After spending two years in Boise working at two different TV stations, Eric made the leap to KREM TV in Spokane. In local broadcasting, talented reporters jump quickly to bigger cities and stations.
But Spokane was uniquely special for him; Eric was born and raised in the Spokane Valley, and the viewing audience was filled with family and friends.
“I had a blast,” Eric said. “My mom and dad are watching. My high school friends are watching. I remember my dad walking around in a CBS jacket with a KREM hat and shirt as if to say, just ask me what my son does for a living.”
Eric excelled at liveshots and unscripted storytelling. When the Washington State Cougars went to the Aloha Bowl in 1988, he turned the event into a weeklong sports feature, showcasing his creative, performative, and communicative prowess.
His skills continued to evolve at KGW in Portland, where he served as the main sports anchor. After four years, a unique opportunity arose in Seattle. All three major stations – KOMO, KING, and KIRO – extended job offers to him simultaneously. He chose KOMO in 1993, a decision that marked the beginning of a long award-winning career in Seattle.
“I wanted to work with (former KOMO sportscaster) Bruce King, and I wanted to work with the best team in television,” Eric said. “I learned so much from those guys: Dan (Lewis), Kathi (Goertzen), Steve (Pool) and Bruce.”
At KOMO, Eric’s passion for storytelling expanded beyond the sports desk. He created documentaries and wrote unforgettable feature stories. He created one of KOMO’s most beloved segments called “Eric’s Little Heroes,” where he featured the joys of youth sports.
“It went crazy,” Eric said. “It was wild. It made my career. It put me on the map in this town where I desperately wanted to be on the map.”
Viewers submitted story ideas and families tuned in regularly to see Eric’s stories. “Little Heroes” gave way to Eric’s Heroes, which continues to have a large following.
WATCH: Eric’s Heroes on YouTube
Read More HERE
Congratulations Eric on a great career. There are very few in the media these days I would call true journalists. Eric is one of the few left.
Thank you Eric.
So true.
He’ll be missed. Great at his job. Not afraid to tell the truth, even if it works some people in politics or others in the public eye. My husband and I have both been brought to tears several times, when watching his Eric’s heroes pieces. Such a wonderful storyteller.