Chuck Johnson, a longtime political reporter for Montana, passed away

Helena, Montana – Charles S. “Chuck” Johnson, a veteran journalist and political reporter in Montana, has died.

Chuck was well-liked and well-regarded by his fellow journalists who covered Montana politics and events in the state capitol. When new reporters following Montana politics approached him, he was always pleased to instruct and advise them.

Johnson received an honorary doctorate in human letters from Montana State University in 2022. He was a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism.

Johnson had a reporting career that lasted over forty years, as was mentioned when he received his honorary doctorate. He reported on the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention for the Associated Press and covered 22 Montana legislative sessions, seven governors, nine senators, and ten representatives. His reporting was largely recognized as being lucid, accurate, and impartial.

He started his career in 1967 through an internship with the Helena Independent Record. He was born in Great Falls and raised in Helena. For the Missoulian, Johnson held his first full-time reporting job from 1972 until 1974. After his return to Helena, he started writing for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau and later the Helena Capitol Bureau of the Great Falls Tribune. From 1984 through 1992, he worked as bureau chief among other things. He led the Lee Newspapers State Bureau as bureau chief from 1992 to 2015.