Eleven year old John Wortman hosts a newscast from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. John started John News shortly after the pandemic caused his school to stop meeting in person in March, 2020. John was in first grade then; now he is in fifth grade, and John News is still going strong!
John says that he started John News "because I want to make people happy--even during coronavirus time."
Watch the latest episode of john news
1 IN 8 CHILDREN
John News learns that one in eight children in the nation may not know where their next meal is coming from. John visits with Christine Cotton, who founded a hunger-relief organization that is spreading quickly across the country.
Learn more about porch
PORCH is a volunteer-driven organization that mobilizes and supports local volunteers to create sustainable hunger-relief programs. The first PORCH community started in 2010 in Chapel Hill and since then, PORCH has grown to over 40 communities in 11 states. Click here for more.
John News Special Report: John’s Adventure Gift
John received an adventure as a gift from his aunt. John News was there to record all the flips, falls, and fun!
Watch the previous episode of john news
A REFUGEE’S STORY
John News has a new shorter and faster format! More good stuff jammed into a smaller package! In this episode, John hears the story of Giang Nguyen, a refugee from Vietnam. John learns why Giang’s family left Vietnam, what the journey was like, and how they ended up in North Carolina.
john selected as a Hometown hero
Check THIS out! Another accolade for John and John News! WCHL, the local radio station, named John a "Hometown Hero"! It's worth your time to listen to the audio. Click here.
And you get to hear what John's school principal says about him!
listen to john's interview on the radio
John appeared on WCHL, 97.9 The Hill. He had a lot of fun substituting as the guest for the station's Talking Books segment. Click here to listen.
John gets a major award
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
It's a big day for John! At the annual recognition ceremony for his school district, John is one of three students — out of 12,000 in the district — to receive the “Hamlett's Heroes“ award. John News was there to record the superintendent presenting this important award to John.
Help fight hunger. All proceeds go to TABLE, Inc., a nonprofit that feeds hungry kids in John's community. To order your shirt, click here.
John News Featured on CBS 17 News Program
May 2, 2021 Reporter Crystal Price interviews John, gives an in-depth account of how John News is created, and reports on why John started his newscast. To view the story, click here.
Visit John's YouTube channel here.
See where it all began
Watch the very first episode of John News! You can see how far John has come.