John Roberts

Early Life and Education

John David Roberts was born on November 15, 1956, in Toronto, Ontario, and spent his formative years in the neighbouring city of Mississauga. He attended Erindale Secondary School and later Lorne Park Secondary School for his high school education. Roberts pursued post-secondary studies at Erindale College, which was part of the University of Toronto, though he did not complete a degree. His initial foray into broadcasting began at the campus radio station, CFRE-FM in Mississauga, where he gained his first practical experience. This early exposure to radio laid the groundwork for his professional career, which would commence shortly after he left university. He was born John David Robertson but shortened his professional surname to Roberts to avoid confusion with his uncle, Canadian sports reporter and columnist John Robertson.

Career Beginnings in Canadian Radio

Roberts began his professional broadcasting career in 1975 as a reporter and news anchor for CFOS radio in Owen Sound, Ontario. He quickly moved through the Southern Ontario radio market, taking on roles as a newsman and disc jockey at CHYM in Kitchener and later at CJBK in London. In 1977, he returned to Toronto to join the influential top 40 station 1050 CHUM as a weekday evening disc jockey. It was during this period that the CHUM organization, which also owned CITY-TV, gave him the on-air name J. D. Roberts. His early radio career provided a foundation in news reading, reporting, and music presentation that would inform his later television work. His progression through Ontario radio stations was rapid, demonstrating an early adaptability and skill in broadcasting.

• 1975: First professional job as reporter and news anchor at CFOS in Owen Sound.
• 1977: On-air work for radio station CJBK in London, Ontario.
• 1977: Moved to Toronto to join 1050 CHUM as a weekday evening disc jockey.

Pioneering Work in Canadian Television

In 1979, Roberts expanded into television, co-hosting the music newsmagazine The NewMusic on CITY-TV with Jeanne Beker until 1985. The show was a pioneering effort in music journalism that predated the launch of MTV. Roberts, Beker and the NewMusic team won many awards for their work. During this time, Roberts also served as an entertainment reporter for CITY-TV and on occasion filled in for hosts John Majhor and later Brad Giffen on the local music video show Toronto Rocks . In 1984, Roberts was selected as one of the first on-air personalities for the launch of Canada's national music video channel, MuchMusic.

At MuchMusic, Roberts hosted various programs, including a dedicated heavy metal video show called The Power Hour. He left the music channel in 1987 to anchor CITY-TV's CityPulse newscasts, eventually taking over the 10 p.m. CityPulse Tonight anchor chair when Anne Mroczkowski moved to co-anchor the 6 p.m. edition with Gord Martineau. His work during this period established him as a versatile television personality capable of handling music journalism, entertainment reporting, and hard news anchoring. This foundational Canadian television experience provided the credibility and skill set that enabled his subsequent move into American network news.

Network News Career in the United States

Roberts first moved to the United States in 1989, joining WCIX (now WFOR-TV), the CBS-owned station in Miami, Florida, as an anchor and reporter. After a year, he returned to Canada in September 1990 to co-host CTV's national morning show Canada AM, first with Deborah McGregor and later with Pamela Wallin. His tenure on Canadian morning television was brief, as he returned to the U.S. in 1992 to join CBS News in New York. His initial assignment was co-anchoring the CBS Morning News with Meredith Vieira. Roberts also served as the news reader and substitute anchor for Harry Smith on CBS This Morning and The Early Show. From 1994 to 1995, he anchored the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts for WCBS-TV, the network's flagship New York station, gaining valuable experience in a major market.

In March 1995, Roberts moved back to the CBS network as anchor of the CBS Sunday Evening News, a position he held for nearly 11 years. He additionally anchored the CBS Saturday Evening News from February 1999 until August of that year, when he was appointed CBS's chief White House correspondent. During his time at CBS, Roberts covered major events and received significant recognition. He was embedded with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion of the U.S. Marines during the initial invasion of Iraq in March 2003, providing frontline reports. On July 19, 2005, he introduced CBS's coverage on the announcement of the nomination of John Roberts for the Supreme Court, joking that colleagues should call him "Your Honor".

• August 1999, February 2006: Served as CBS chief White House Correspondent.
• March 2003: Embedded with U.S. Marines during the invasion of Iraq.
• July 19, 2005: Introduced CBS's coverage of the Supreme Court nomination of John G. Roberts Jr.
• Awards: Received three National Emmy Awards and a Gracie Award for coverage of surgery for neural tube defects.

John Roberts had been widely considered a potential replacement for CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather after Rather stepped down from the anchor desk in March 2005. Bob Schieffer was chosen on an interim basis to be the next CBS Evening News anchor. In subsequent months, it became clear that Roberts was not under consideration for the job. He remained at CBS News for a time before joining CNN in February 2006.

Senior Roles at CNN and Major Conflict Reporting

Roberts left CBS in February 2006 to join CNN as a senior national correspondent based in Washington, D.C. His reporting quickly took him to conflict zones, including the Israel-Hezbollah war in the summer of 2006. In July and August of that year, he reported from the front lines and embedded with an Israeli infantry unit, marching 10 miles into Lebanon, an experience for which he was recognized with a Headline Award. CNN's overall coverage of that war was recognized with an Edward R. Murrow Award. In October 2006, he returned to Iraq as the first anchor of the program This Week at War, analyzing the ongoing conflict. From 2007 to 2010, Roberts was co-anchor of CNN's morning program American Morning from New York, which was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2010 for best morning program, though it lost to Good Morning America. He also substituted for Anderson Cooper on Anderson Cooper 360° during this period.

Roberts departed CNN at his own request in early 2011 to move closer to his fiancée, CNN anchor Kyra Phillips. The Associated Press reported that his departure from American Morning was specifically for this personal reason. On January 3, 2011, CNN executives confirmed he was leaving to join Fox News as a national correspondent based in Atlanta. His work at CNN covered a span of five years and included some of the most dangerous assignments of his career, solidifying his reputation as a correspondent willing to report from active war zones.

Fox News Correspondent and White House Coverage

At Fox News, Roberts covered major breaking news events from his base in Atlanta beginning in January 2011. His reporting included the murder trial of real estate heir Robert Durst, the U.S. Ebola outbreak, the devastating 2013 EF5 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, and the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011 as well as continuing his coverage of American politics. In an August 2016 sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News, Andrea Tantaros claimed that Roberts, along with Scott Brown and Bill O'Reilly, had sexually harassed her, though the case was later dismissed. In January 2017, he was promoted to chief White House correspondent for Fox News, covering the presidency of Donald Trump. His tenure in this role included notable moments that garnered significant media attention.

In 2020, he garnered attention for criticizing the Trump presidency's hostility with the media and its failure to properly inform the press corps. Following the first presidential debate that year, he engaged in a heated exchange with press secretary Kayleigh McEnany over the president's failure to explicitly denounce white supremacy, telling her to "stop deflecting, stop blaming the media", which prompted controversy in the media and among politicians. In October 2020, Fox News announced Roberts had signed a multi-year contract extension. On January 14, 2021, the network announced his promotion to an anchor position. He began co-anchoring the afternoon program America Reports, which airs from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, succeeding in the role previously held by White House correspondent Peter Doocy.

• January 2011: Joined Fox News as a national correspondent based in Atlanta.
• January 2017: Promoted to Fox News Chief White House Correspondent.
• October 2020: Signed a multi-year contract extension with Fox News.
• January 14, 2021: Promoted to anchor, co-hosting America Reports.
• October 2021: Drew criticism for a tweet about Colin Powell's death. Later deleted it.

Awards and Hall of Fame Induction

Throughout his career, John Roberts has received significant recognition for his journalism across multiple networks and formats. His early work on The NewMusic at CITY-TV earned several awards for the program's team, establishing his award-winning credentials early. His reporting at CBS News garnered three National Emmy Awards and a Gracie Award for his coverage of a groundbreaking surgery to repair neural tube defects. His embedded war reporting from Lebanon for CNN in 2006 earned him a Headline Award, and the network's coverage of that conflict won an Edward R. Murrow Award. The pinnacle of his recognition in Canada came in 2009 when he was inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame during Canadian Music Week. This honour acknowledges his substantial contributions to Canadian broadcasting, particularly his foundational role at MuchMusic and his successful transition to international news journalism, representing a rare career that achieved top honours in both music television and hard news.

Personal Life and Family

John Roberts was previously married to his high school sweetheart. That marriage ended in divorce in 2008. He has two children from that first marriage. On April 25, 2010, he announced his engagement to fellow journalist and CNN anchor Kyra Phillips. The couple have twin children, a daughter named Sage Ann and a son named Kellan Clay. Roberts and Phillips were married around 2018. He holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States, having naturalized as an American citizen. His personal life has occasionally intersected with his professional one, such as when his 2011 move from CNN to Fox News was motivated by a desire to be closer to his then-fiancée Phillips. As of 2018, the couple are married and maintain a family life alongside their demanding careers in television news.

Questions about John Roberts

What is John Roberts known for?

John Roberts is known for a broadcasting career that began in Canadian radio and television, where he was a founding host of MuchMusic in 1984. He is also widely recognized for his work as a White House correspondent for both CBS News and Fox News, covering presidencies from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump. Since 2021, he has been the co-anchor of Fox News's afternoon program America Reports. His induction into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame in 2009 highlights his significant impact on broadcasting in Canada.

Is John Roberts Canadian?

Yes, John Roberts is Canadian by birth. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, on November 15, 1956, and grew up in Mississauga. He began his broadcasting career in Southern Ontario in 1975. Roberts is also a naturalized American citizen, holding dual citizenship. This dual status has facilitated his decades-long career working for major American television news networks while maintaining his roots in Canadian media.

What shows did John Roberts host on MuchMusic?

When MuchMusic launched in 1984, John Roberts was one of its first on-air personalities alongside Christopher Ward. He hosted a variety of programs on the channel, contributing to its foundational years. One of his notable hosting roles was fronting a one-hour heavy metal video show called The Power Hour. His work at MuchMusic followed his earlier television work co-hosting the music newsmagazine The NewMusic on CITY-TV from 1979 to 1985.

When did John Roberts work for CBS News?

John Roberts worked for CBS News from 1992 to February 2006. During this 14-year period, he held several key positions, including anchor of the CBS Sunday Evening News for nearly 11 years and anchor of the CBS Saturday Evening News. He served as CBS's chief White House correspondent from August 1999 to February 2006, covering the end of the Clinton administration and the entirety of the George W. Bush presidency. He also anchored newscasts for the CBS Radio Network and was embedded with U.S. Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

What is John Roberts's role at Fox News?

John Roberts joined Fox News in January 2011 as a national correspondent based in Atlanta. He was promoted to chief White House correspondent in January 2017, covering the Trump administration. On January 14, 2021, Fox News announced his promotion to an anchor role. He currently co-anchors the network's afternoon news program America Reports, which airs on weekdays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. He signed a multi-year contract extension with the network in October 2020.

Is John Roberts married to Kyra Phillips?

Yes, John Roberts is married to fellow journalist Kyra Phillips. He announced his engagement to Phillips, who was then a CNN anchor, on April 25, 2010. The couple have twin children together, named Sage Ann and Kellan Clay. They were married around 2018. Roberts was previously married to his high school sweetheart. That marriage ended in divorce in 2008, and he has two children from that relationship.

Sources and further reading

• John Roberts (Wikipedia)
• John Roberts Movies & TV Shows List (rottentomatoes.com)
• John Roberts Movies and Shows (tv.apple.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-22.