TRIBUTES have been paid to broadcaster and journalist, Ken Johnston, from Newtownards, whose death took place peacefully in hospital on Thursday, April 23.
As well as an early career in the media, he branched into a role as a communications officer for the MInistry of Defence (MOD) and his contribution in that role has been described as ‘immeasurable’.
Mr Johnston’s education began at Comber Primary School before he moved on to Newtownards and Cregagh technical colleges.
His first job was as a reporter for Project, an industrial magazine, before he moved onto a weekly newspaper – the Armagh Guardian. Mr Johnston was then editor of the Carrickfergus Advertiser and East Antrim Gazette.
Mr Johnston’s career path took him to Belfast where he was a reporter on the Belfast Telegraph during which time he did occasional evening shifts for the Daily Mirror. In 1974 he moved to the fledgling radio station Downtown Radio as duty news editor.
In the early 1990s Mr Johnston moved to manage crisis communications with the MOD, attached to army headquarters in Northern Ireland. Here he established a mobile news team to provide television, radio and print coverage from the armed forces.
Mr Johnston travelled around the globe with the MOD and returned to Northern Ireland at the end of the overt military presence here at the end of Operation Banner.
His last posting was senior media officer for the army based in Scotland.
His former army communications colleague, Martine McNee, described Mr Johnston as a ‘legend in the communications field’ both as a journalist and as a government communications officer.
“He instinctively knew what a news story was, what his audience wanted to hear and how to tell it to them”, she said. “His stellar career in newspapers and broadcasting brought him to the MOD, where he used his skills to support military operations across the world, whether deployed, while working at permanent joint headquarters in London, or at home in Northern Ireland.”
Ms McNee outlined how Mr Johnston was completely dedicated to communicating what the troops on the ground were doing to a public which wanted to know, with honesty and transparency, and how his contribution to the MoD was immeasurable.
“He was a thoroughly professional, wonderfully kind colleague, who nurtured up and coming talent in every workplace he was in, and his love for Northern Ireland was evident every time you spoke to him,” she said. “He will be sadly missed by all who knew and worked with him.”
Mr Johnston’s former Downtown colleague, BBC Northern Ireland radio producer Karen English described him as ‘a huge character and a brilliant conversationalist’.
“When I think of Ken Johnston I can’t help but smile – his engaging stories had people hooked where he was on air or off,” she said.
“He was kindly and humorous and his zest for life and energetic enthusiasm for journalism were infectious and inspiring,” Ms English continued. “A wonderful broadcaster who broke many stories in his time, his sense of fun and mischief was legendary.”
He was proud of his Scottish connections, she explained, and loved nothing better than cracking out his bagpipes after presenting a news bulletin to parade up and down the newsroom in his kilt.
“Ken was the warmest of men too – caring and empathetic he had a huge heart and would go out of his way to do you a good turn,” Ms English continued. “When my car broke down while out on a story Ken was there in a flash sorting out a tow while driving me on to my marking to make sure no news deadline was missed.”
She said that on learning of her mum’s unexpected terminal cancer diagnoses, Mr Johnston was quickly at her side at hospital promising support and help for as long as it took. “That was the mark of the man – decent through and through,” Ms English said.
“Ken was also an encouraging mentor to many younger staff – an editor known for his commitment to bringing out the best in his team and a friend,” she concluded.
A funeral service for Cecil Kenneth (Ken) Johnston will be held tomorrow, Friday, May 1st at 11.30am in Movilla Abbey Church, Newtownards followed by the committal in Loughview Cemetery, Comber.
