Rob Johnson

Veteran Chicago newsman Rob Johnson has agreed to a multiyear renewal with CBS 2 to continue as 5, 6 and 10 p.m. weekday news anchor. His co-anchor on all three newscasts is Kate Sullivan.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but Johnson confirmed the extension negotiated between his New York-based agent, Gregg Willinger, and bosses of the CBS-owned station.

"My philosophy is to not make my personal business public," Johnson told me Sunday. "But given the multiple inaccuracies that have been reported, I am happy to report that I'm going to sign a multiyear contract with CBS to continue the great work we're doing. And I couldn't be happier."

The move puts to rest a rumor first published by FTVLive.com May 20 that Johnson "will be leaving the station in the very near future and the hunt for a replacement is on." On June 30, ChicagolandRadioandMedia.com wrote: "Some insiders are saying that the network may be quietly looking for a new lead news anchor, not due to anything Johnson has done wrong, but merely due to WBBM-TV's newscasts' lack of ratings success. Could a new male news anchor be coming to WBBM-TV before fall?" A third website, NewsBlues.com, chimed in July 1, attributing the rumor to "Chicagoland Media." Johnson said no one contacted him, his agent or the station before the rumors were published.

Johnson, 45, joined CBS 2 in 2006 as 5 p.m. news anchor and was promoted the following year to 10 p.m. news anchor. He previously worked eight years as weekend news anchor and reporter at ABC 7.