December 20, 2017
by Phil Johnson
Former WWL-TV news director, editorialist and assistant general manager Phil Johnson, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 80, was an icon among New Orleans television journalists. When the Jesuits who owned WWL said they wanted the station to “stand” for something, Johnson began writing brief daily editorials in 1962 to close out the news report each day. Johnson retired in 1999, but WWL has continued to air his Christmas Eve editorial every year. Johnson was a close friend and benefactor of School Sister of Notre Dame Lillian McCormack, who founded St. Michael’s Special School.
