Veteran WTHR Anchor John Stehr To Retire

John Stehr, longtime anchor at Dispatch’s NBC affiliate WTHR Indianapolis (DMA 28) has announced his retirement. Stehr’s final day as weekday anchor of 13 Eyewitness News will be Dec. 21.

“John has made a tremendous impact on our station and across Central Indiana,” says Larry Delia, WTHR president-GM and president of Dispatch Broadcast Group. “We cannot thank John enough for his contributions as a journalist, storyteller, and ambassador of WTHR.”

While Stehr will be stepping down from his weekday role as co-anchor alongside WTHR’s Andrea Morehead and Anne Marie Tiernon, he will be a regular contributor for the station’s growing list of premiere community events and special coverage.

He is expected to be a key contributor to WTHR’s signature 500 Festival events and during local coverage of the Indianapolis 500, now airing on WTHR in 2019. He is also expected to contribute during WTHR’s annual broadcast of the Circle of Lights celebration in November.

WTHR will showcase Stehr’s contributions during his final week as anchor of 13 Eyewitness News. Each weekday during the afternoon newscasts, WTHR will look back at his favorite stories during his long tenure at WTHR.

On Friday, the station will air a special tribute to his career in news. Of note, WTHR.com will feature an in-depth conversation among Stehr and the women who have shared the anchor desk with him. Stehr will be joined by current co-anchors Andrea Morehead and Anne Marie Tiernon, plus former WTHR anchor and veteran journalist Anne Ryder.

Stehr’s career in journalism spans more than four decades. He came to WTHR in 1995 from CBS News in New York, where he was a network correspondent and anchor for CBS Morning News.

Stehr was also a founding anchor at CNBC. Prior to that, Stehr worked as an anchor and reporter at KUTV Salt Lake City; WISH-TV Indianapolis; WOTV (now WOOD) Grand Rapids, Mich.; plus WJET and WSEE in Erie, Pa.

“I am enormously grateful to my WTHR family and the many people I have worked with over the years. Together, we have journeyed through the highs and lows of our community and country,” says Stehr. “After 40 years in the business and a few months to reflect following my heart surgery last year, it really gave me perspective as to the importance of family, health and other ways to contribute.”

Stehr has traveled the world covering events and stories, including Cuba, South Africa, Russia, Italy, Australia, and Afghanistan. He has interviewed President Obama, reported from national political conventions, presidential inaugurations, and covered the 9/11 attacks from the Pentagon. He also accompanied then-congressman Mike Pence to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Germany for stories about U.S. efforts to rebuild relations after 9/11.

Stehr is a graduate of Erie’s Gannon University.