From Macon to the White House
Wyatt Thomas Johnson was born in 1941 in Macon, Georgia. His family was not wealthy. As a teenager, he delivered newspapers for the Macon Telegraph and News, a job that introduced him to the news business and helped pay for his education.
Johnson attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1963. He then received a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University in 1965. His Harvard education caught the attention of Lyndon Johnson's White House.
Though they shared a surname, Tom Johnson was not related to President Johnson. The President took a liking to the young Georgian anyway. Tom Johnson joined the White House staff as a special assistant and rose to become a deputy press secretary. He was present during the tumultuous final years of the Johnson administration, watching the Vietnam War escalate and the President decide not to seek reelection.
Publisher of the Los Angeles Times
After leaving the White House in 1969, Johnson joined the Dallas Times Herald, eventually becoming its president and chief operating officer. His success there caught the attention of the Times Mirror Company, which owned the Los Angeles Times.
In 1977, Johnson moved to Los Angeles to work for Times Mirror. Three years later, in 1980, he was named publisher of the Los Angeles Times. It was a significant appointment: he was the first person outside the Chandler family, which had owned the paper for generations, to hold the position.
Under Johnson's leadership, the Times expanded its national and international coverage. The paper won six Pulitzer Prizes during his tenure. Circulation reached record levels, and the newsroom grew to become one of the largest in the country. Johnson managed the paper through a period of growth and prestige, positioning it as a peer to the New York Times and Washington Post.
Taking the Helm at CNN
Ted Turner founded CNN in 1980, but by 1990 the network was still seen as scrappy and unproven compared to the broadcast networks. Turner wanted someone with serious journalistic credentials to lead CNN into the next decade. He recruited Tom Johnson.
Johnson arrived at CNN on August 1, 1990. Within 24 hours, the world changed. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2 set in motion events that would test CNN's capabilities and establish its reputation. Johnson found himself running a wartime news organization before he had time to learn where the bathrooms were.
The Gulf War coverage that followed made CNN. The network's reporters stayed in Baghdad during the bombing, delivering live reports as missiles struck the city. Peter Arnett's broadcasts from inside Iraq generated controversy but enormous ratings. CNN demonstrated that 24-hour cable news could cover major events more thoroughly and immediately than the traditional evening newscasts.
Witnessing the Soviet Collapse
Johnson's CNN years coincided with the end of the Cold War. In December 1991, he was in Moscow as the Soviet Union dissolved. He was present in the Kremlin when Mikhail Gorbachev signed his resignation as Soviet president on Christmas Day.
Being in the room as Gorbachev signed away the Soviet Union was a journalistic coup. CNN broadcast the moment live, another demonstration of the network's global reach and access. Johnson's presence reflected both his personal relationships with world leaders and CNN's growing importance as a news source for those same leaders.
Throughout the 1990s, CNN continued to expand under Johnson's leadership. The network covered the O.J. Simpson trial, the Oklahoma City bombing, the death of Princess Diana, and the Clinton impeachment. Each major story reinforced CNN's position as the default source for breaking news.
Leadership Style and Challenges
Johnson ran CNN during a period of both triumph and controversy. The network's Gulf War success established its brand, but maintaining that standard proved difficult. Critics accused CNN of sensationalism and questioned whether 24-hour news coverage served the public interest.
One of Johnson's most difficult moments came in 1998 with the "Operation Tailwind" story. CNN reported that the U.S. military had used nerve gas during a 1970 mission in Laos. The story fell apart under scrutiny, and CNN was forced to retract it. Johnson accepted responsibility and oversaw the dismissal of the producers involved. The episode damaged the network's credibility but also demonstrated Johnson's willingness to acknowledge mistakes.
Johnson served as CNN's president until 2001, leading the network through the AOL-Time Warner merger that complicated CNN's corporate structure. He stepped down as the media landscape was shifting again, with the rise of Fox News and MSNBC creating new competition for cable news viewers.
Later Career and Legacy
After leaving CNN, Johnson remained active in journalism and public affairs. He served on various boards and continued to speak about media ethics and the future of news. His career spanned the transformation of American media from newspapers to television to cable to the early internet era.
Johnson's legacy rests on two major achievements: building the Los Angeles Times into a Pulitzer-winning powerhouse and leading CNN during its rise to global prominence. At both institutions, he combined journalistic values with business acumen, expanding coverage while maintaining profitability.
His career also illustrates the connections between media and political power. From delivering newspapers in Macon to advising President Johnson to standing in the Kremlin as the Soviet Union ended, Tom Johnson witnessed history from the inside. His path from Georgia paperboy to media executive remains an unlikely American success story.