John Roland

Background

Roland, John was born on November 25, 1941 in Pittsburgh. Son of John Roland and Marion (Costlow) Gingher.

Education

Mr. Roland, a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native who graduated from California State University, Long Beach in 1964, began his broadcasting career in the 1960s.

Career

His first major assignment was for National Broadcasting Company News in Los Angeles in 1966. From there, he was hired as a reporter by KTTV, where he covered the Robert F. Kennedy assassination and the Charles Manson trial, and then went to sister station WNEW-television (now WNYW) in New York City beginning in December, 1969. He remained with Channel 5 for the remainder of his broadcasting career.

In his early years with WNEW/WNYW, he was a political reporter and weekend presenter for The 10 O"Clock News, and even did a cooking segment that was shown frequently on the newscast.

Over the years, Mr. Roland"s co-presenters included Bill McCreary, Cora-Ann Mihalik and Rosanna Scotto. He left the 10:00 newscast in 2003 in order to prepare for his role as presenter of the new 5:00 and 6:00 Prime Minister newscasts that WNYW was preparing, which were launched that fall.

His long run with the station came to an end on his retirement on June 4, 2004. On May 11, 1983, Roland and his then-girlfriend were having a late-night dinner at the Racing Club, a restaurant on New York City"s East Side.

Three armed men entered the restaurant and attempted to rob customers.

Roland disarmed one of the robbers and shot him in the legal The other two robbers then attacked Roland. One of them 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.

In January 1988, Roland was suspended by WNYW-television (Fox) after an on-air argument with Joyce Patricia Brown, a mentally-ill homeless woman whom the Koch Administration sought to have confined to a mental hospital for treatment. Brown, who was represented by the New York City chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union successfully challenged her incarceration in court.

The interview quickly degenerated into an argument after Roland related his own personal experiences when encountering Brown on the street. After the interview, numerous people called the station to protest Roland"s treatment of Brown.

The next day, the station suspended Roland, explaining that his emotions prevailed over his objectivity.

Roland personally apologized to Brown, and the station broadcast a taped apology from him. After serving his brief suspension, Roland returned to the air. On September 10, 2002, Roland was rushed to hospital after experiencing diverticulitis.

Roland needed 18 blood transfusions, and doctors removed a part of his colon.

Roland successfully recovered and returned to work at the station in late October.

Achievements

• John Roland has been listed as a noteworthy Newscaster by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member New York City Police Department Detective Endowment Association (honorary), Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

Interests

• Avocations: boating, tennis, golf.

Connections

Father:

John Roland Gingher

Mother:

Marion (Costlow) Gingher