John Roberts’s Four-Decade Run From MuchMusic to the White House
It’s worth clearing up one thing right away: this John Roberts isn’t the Chief Justice of the United States, despite sharing the exact same name. This is the Canadian-American broadcast journalist who’s spent more than four decades moving between three of America’s biggest news networks—a career that started, unexpectedly, hosting music television in Toronto.
From Ontario Radio to MuchMusic
John David Roberts was born November 15, 1956, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His father died when he was five, and he was raised alongside a brother and sister. He attended Lorne Park Secondary School and Erindale Secondary School before earning a bachelor’s degree from Erindale College at the University of Toronto.
Roberts began his career in 1975, working at various Southern Ontario radio stations in both entertainment and news roles, before transitioning to television with CITY-TV and, notably, MuchMusic — Canada’s music video channel — a considerably different starting point than the White House beat he’d eventually become known for. He first moved to the United States in 1989 to join the CBS affiliate in Miami, then returned to Canada in 1990 to co-host CTV’s national morning show, “Canada AM,” through 1992.
Fourteen Years at CBS News
Roberts joined CBS News in 1992 and spent more than 14 years there, taking on a wide range of major roles: chief White House correspondent (a position he held roughly from 1999 to 2005), chief medical correspondent, and anchor of the weekend editions of both the CBS Evening News and CBS Morning News. During his CBS tenure, he was embedded with U.S. Marines during the Iraq War and anchored the network’s coverage of major national and international events, including the Atlanta Olympics bombing, the death of Princess Diana, the TWA Flight 800 crash, Hurricane Katrina, and the death of Pope John Paul II.
He also anchored the evening news at WCBS-TV in New York from 1994 to 1995, earning an Emmy and a New York Press Club award for that work. In a notable career moment, CBS ultimately passed him over for its top anchor chair in favor of Bob Schieffer.
Five Years at CNN, Including the Israel-Hezbollah War
Roberts left CBS for CNN in February 2006. That July and August, he reported from the front lines of the Israel-Hezbollah war, embedded with an Israeli infantry unit advancing into Lebanon — coverage that contributed to CNN winning an Edward R. Murrow Award. He became the first anchor of “This Week at War” in October 2006, then served as CNN’s senior national correspondent in Washington, before co-anchoring the network’s morning program, “American Morning,” from New York between 2007 and 2010.
Joining Fox News and Covering the Trump White House
Roberts joined Fox News Channel in January 2011 as a senior national correspondent based in the network’s Atlanta bureau. He followed the GOP side of the 2016 presidential race closely, conducting interviews with candidates including Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and Carly Fiorina. In December 2016, Fox named him chief White House correspondent, a role he officially began on Inauguration Day 2017 and held through 2021, relocating to Washington to cover the first Trump presidency — including regular White House briefings and Trump’s second impeachment. He also reported live from the 2019 U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, and from Jerusalem during periods of Israel-related conflict.
Roberts currently co-anchors “America Reports” on Fox News Channel, weekdays from 1 to 3 p.m. ET, a role he’s held since transitioning out of the chief White House correspondent position.
Recognition and Personal Life
Roberts was inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame in 2009, recognition of a career that, by that point, already spanned three networks and multiple continents of reporting. He’s married to Kyra Phillips, a former CNN anchor and ABC News correspondent; the couple welcomed fraternal twins, daughter Sage Ann Roberts and son Kellan Clay Roberts, on March 15, 2011.
Quick Facts
| Full name | John David Roberts |
| Born | November 15, 1956, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Journalist, co-anchor, “America Reports,” Fox News Channel |
| Education | B.A., Erindale College, University of Toronto |
| Career path | CITY-TV/MuchMusic → CTV’s “Canada AM” → CBS News (1992–2006) → CNN (2006–2011) → Fox News (2011–present) |
| Major role | Fox News Chief White House Correspondent (2017–2021) |
| Recognition | Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame (2009); Emmy Award; Edward R. Murrow Award (CNN team, Israel-Hezbollah War coverage) |
| Spouse | Kyra Phillips |
| Children | Twins, Sage Ann and Kellan Clay Roberts (b. 2011) |
FAQ
Is this John Roberts the Supreme Court Chief Justice? No. This is a separate person — a Canadian-American broadcast journalist currently at Fox News. The Chief Justice of the United States shares the same name but has an entirely unrelated career.
What does John Roberts do at Fox News now? He co-anchors “America Reports,” airing weekdays from 1 to 3 p.m. ET, after previously serving as the network’s chief White House correspondent from 2017 to 2021.
Did John Roberts work at CNN and CBS before Fox News? Yes. He spent more than 14 years at CBS News (1992–2006), including as chief White House correspondent, before moving to CNN (2006–2011) and then Fox News (2011–present).
What did John Roberts do before becoming a journalist in the U.S.? He started in Canadian radio and television in 1975, including hosting programming on MuchMusic and co-anchoring CTV’s “Canada AM.”
Who is John Roberts married to? Kyra Phillips, a former CNN anchor and ABC News correspondent. The couple has twins, born in 2011.
Three Networks, One Consistent Beat
John Roberts’s career is a rare case of a journalist moving through all three of America’s major broadcast news networks — CBS, CNN, and Fox News — while largely staying anchored to the same core beat: the White House and national politics. That consistency, stretched across nearly three decades and dating back to a start in Canadian music television, has made him one of the more well-traveled figures in American political journalism, even if his name occasionally gets mixed up with a Supreme Court justice’s.
John Roberts’ Wife
Roberts is married to Kyra Phillips, an award-winning journalist, author, and senior correspondent for ABC News (formerly a prominent anchor for CNN). The journalistic powerhouse duo announced their engagement in April 2010 and welcomed fraternal twins, Sage Ann and Kellan Clay, in March 2011. As a high-profile media couple, they made history as the first husband-and-wife duo to attend a White House press briefing together, representing competing networks.
In addition, he is a father to four children. He shares two children from his first marriage to his high school sweetheart, which ended in divorce in 2008. He also has two younger children with his current spouse, frequently sharing family snapshots during major holiday broadcasts.
John Roberts’ Height
Roberts stands at an approximate height of 5 feet 11 inches.
John Roberts Net Worth
Roberts has an estimated net worth of between $5 million and $10 million as of 2026. His wealth is primarily accumulated through his prestigious, four-decade-long career anchoring and reporting for major global television networks including CBS, CNN, and Fox News.
John Roberts’ Salary
Roberts receives an estimated annual salary ranging from $1 million to $3 million. While individual television contracts are private, top-tier network news anchors anchoring multi-hour daily broadcasts at major cable outlets like Fox News command premium industry compensation.
