Anthony Johnson (reporter)

Anthony Johnson (born in 1956) is a New Jersey reporter for WABC-TV in New York. He is a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey and is married to WNBC reporter Pat Battle. He joined WABC-TV in January 2001 from 1010 WINS radio where he was a reporter from 1992-2001.

On December 6, 2005, a fan of the Opie and Anthony radio show blew an air horn near Johnson's head while he was doing a live shot, in response to an O&A promotion that encouraged listeners to disrupt live broadcasts to promote the program.

In a direct response to the incident, Acting Governor of New Jersey Richard J. Codey issued an official statement decrying the harassment of reporters undertaken "as part of a radio show gag", wishing Johnson "a speedy and healthy recovery", and indicating that the perpetrator should be "prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law" for his actions. [ [http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/governor/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=2829 "Codey Statement on the Harassment of WABC Reporter"] , Governor of New Jersey press release, dated December 6, 2005. Accessed December 4, 2007.]

Johnson filed a lawsuit in December 2007 alleging that his hearing had been permanently damaged in the incident, listing the air horn wielder, the two radio hosts, and XM Satellite Radio, which broadcasts the show, in his claim.Salazar, Carolyn. [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjI5NTMy "Teaneck couple sue radio shock jocks"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", December 4, 2007. Accessed December 4, 2007.]

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