Rhondella Richardson: Boston’s Trusted Voice for Over Three Decades

There’s a moment most journalists dream about: the exclusive nobody else got. Rhondella Richardson has lived that moment — many times over. She’s reached a lottery-winning teenager only accessible by snowmobile on the side of a mountain.

She’s sat down with a reclusive supermarket CEO mid-strike when no one else could. She’s stood at the epicenter of the Boston Marathon bombings, the September 11 attacks, and the Boston Archdiocese sex abuse scandal, delivering clarity to audiences desperate for answers.

For nearly 40 years — first as an intern, then as an Emmy Award-winning anchor and reporter — Rhondella Richardson has been one of the most recognizable and trusted faces on Boston television.

Her story is one of tenacity, community, and a lifelong love for journalism that started long before she ever sat behind a camera.

From South Orange to Spotlight: A Jersey Girl with a Boston Heart

Rhondella Richardson was born on June 22, 1957, in South Orange, New Jersey — a place that gave her a strong foundation in storytelling and journalism from an early age.

Growing up in a creative, music-filled household, her father was a singer and music teacher, as well as a former militant in the United States, and she was raised alongside her piano-playing brother Ryon.

That arts-infused upbringing may explain something essential about Rhondella: she has always known how to tell a story. Not just report the facts, but find the human thread underneath them.

Her path to journalism led her north to Boston, where she would build not just a career — but a legacy.

Quick Facts:

• Full Name: Rhondella Richardson

• Date of Birth: June 22, 1957

• Birthplace: South Orange, New Jersey, USA

• Nationality: American

• Ethnicity: African American

• Zodiac Sign: Cancer

• Height: Approximately 5’4″

• Education: B.A., Journalism (Magna Cum Laude), Northeastern University, 1990

College Years: Magna Cum Laude and Division I Tennis

Most people don’t picture a TV anchor as a competitive athlete. Rhondella was both.

She attended Northeastern University’s School of Journalism in Boston, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1990 — an academic distinction that speaks to her discipline and depth of thought.

But academics weren’t her only arena. She was also a member of the Northeastern University Division I Tennis Team, competing at a level that demands strategy, composure under pressure, and the mental toughness to bounce back from setbacks.

Sound familiar? Those are the same qualities that would define her journalism career.

Northeastern recognized her enduring impact by naming her the first-ever recipient of the University’s Medallion Award — an honor for alumni who show exceptional professional achievement alongside deep community commitment. She graced the cover of the Northeastern University Alumni Magazine and remains an active member of the University’s Board.

“The award recognizes alumni committed to the community while also making great professional strides.” — Northeastern University

The Early Years: Intern to Emmy Winner

Most journalists don’t begin their careers at a station and return to anchor its newscasts decades later. Rhondella did.

In 1986, she began as an intern for CityLine, WCVB’s pioneering urban news program — a role that gave her a firsthand look at what it meant to serve a community through journalism.

Four years later, in 1990, she became the recipient of WCVB’s prestigious Leo Beranek Fellowship, which brought her back to NewsCenter 5 as a freelance news assistant.

That fellowship wasn’t just an opportunity. It was a confirmation that the station saw something special in her early on.

Building a Resume at America’s #1 Affiliates

Before planting her roots in Boston permanently, Rhondella built one of the most well-rounded resumes in regional broadcasting. Her career path reads like a roadmap of the best newsrooms in the Northeast:

• WMUR-TV (ABC affiliate, Manchester, NH) — early career foundation

• WJAR-TV (NBC affiliate, Providence, RI) — 1992–1994, including the beloved Tuesday’s Child adoption segments

• KING-TV (NBC affiliate, Seattle, WA) — 1994, including national exposure as a contributing reporter on NBC’s Today show

• WCVB NewsCenter 5 (ABC affiliate, Boston, MA) — 1996–present

She joined WCVB in September 1996, and hasn’t looked back since.

During her time at WJAR, Rhondella also made an unexpected screen appearance — a dancing scene in the daytime soap opera Another World, as part of a behind-the-scenes segment about life as a soap star.

It’s a fun footnote that hints at her willingness to go beyond the conventional to get the story.

Vietnam, Trade, and International Journalism

In 1994, while at KING-TV in Seattle, Rhondella did something rare for a local reporter: she went international.

On a week-long assignment to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, she produced a three-part investigative series called Capitalism vs. Communism — examining the complex effects of trade between Vietnam, the Pacific Northwest, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The series demonstrated a depth of reporting that went far beyond local news. It was global thinking applied at the local level — a philosophy that has guided her throughout her career.

Covering the Stories That Shook Boston (and America)

When history happens, viewers need someone they trust. Boston has turned to Rhondella for the most defining moments of the past three decades.

She has provided coverage of:

• The September 11 terrorist attacks (2001) — helping anchor continuous coverage as the city tried to process the unimaginable

• The Boston Marathon bombings (2013) — reporting from the ground as the tragedy unfolded and in its aftermath

• The Boston Archdiocese sex abuse scandal — covering one of the most consequential institutional accountability stories in modern American journalism

• Presidential coverage of both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama during their Martha’s Vineyard vacations
• Every major New England blizzard and rare tornado over the course of her career

Each of these stories required not just reporting skill, but emotional intelligence — the ability to deliver devastating news with humanity.

The Exclusive Getter: A Journalist’s Journalist

What separates Rhondella from her peers isn’t just longevity. It’s access.

She is one of the rare reporters who personally secured an interview with Market Basket CEO Arthur T. Demoulas during a dramatic six-week regional supermarket strike — a story that captivated New England. When every other journalist was locked out, Rhondella got in.

There’s also the story of a teenage lottery winner living in a remote area only reachable by snowmobile on the side of Mt. Wachusett — a logistical challenge that would stop most reporters cold. And the non-English-speaking injured victim dragged for miles in a hit-and-run case, who spoke to Rhondella when language seemed like an insurmountable barrier.

These stories reveal what her editors and viewers already know: Rhondella doesn’t look for the easy path. She finds a way.

Her Roles at WCVB: Versatility at Its Best

Few anchors can claim Rhondella’s range of positions at a single station. Over her WCVB career, she has served as:

• Original co-anchor of the weekend EyeOpener when it launched

• Member of the 5 Investigates team, where her source network and instincts for breaking news flourished

• General assignment reporter and fill-in anchor across multiple newscasts

• Weekend morning co-anchor, currently paired with Jennifer Eagan for Saturday (5–7 AM & 8–9 AM) and Sunday (5–7 AM, 8–9 AM, & 10–11 AM) newscasts

That kind of institutional versatility — moving between investigative journalism, hard news, and anchoring — speaks to a complete broadcaster who never stopped learning.

Love, Family, and Life South of Boston

Behind the camera is a life rich with love and family.

Richardson is married to Mark Porter, whom she met while studying at Northeastern University. The couple wed in a private ceremony on March 27, 1998.

Mark Porter now serves as a Police Chief at Brown University. The couple’s shared Northeastern roots make their love story feel like a full-circle moment.

Together, they are proud parents of three children — two sons and a daughter. Their eldest son was born in 2002, followed by their daughter Rhylee, and their youngest son Aiden.

Rhondella currently lives south of Boston, close to the community she has covered and championed for decades.

Boston Magazine Named Her One of the 50 Most Intriguing Women — Here’s Why

Being called “intriguing” in a city as accomplished as Boston is genuinely hard. Boston Magazine’s recognition of Rhondella as one of “The 50 Most Intriguing Women in Boston” reflects a journalist who has never faded into the background.

She has covered wars, weather disasters, political scandals, and heartwarming human interest stories — and brought the same care and craft to each. That range is genuinely rare.

More Than a Journalist: A Community Pillar

Rhondella calls herself a “mentor in motion” — and the description fits.

Off-camera, she is deeply embedded in the Boston community she has covered from the beginning:

• Board member, UNICEF

• Supporter of The Home For Little Wanderers, Catholic Charities, The Ellie Fund, and local schools

• More than a decade as emcee of Boston’s annual Duckling Day Mother’s Day parade, sponsored by the Friends of the Public Garden and the Boston Parks & Recreation Department

• Emcee of the tribute day honoring legendary tennis commentator Bud Collins at the Sportsmen’s Tennis Club before his passing

These aren’t resume-builders. They’re reflections of a woman who sees her platform as a responsibility, not just a career.

Hair, Style, and Presence: The Whole Package

One of the more personal aspects fans often search for is Rhondella Richardson’s signature style — particularly her hair.

Her polished, professional appearance on-air reflects a woman who understands that presence matters in broadcast journalism.

She presents with warmth and authority, a balance that has made her a constant presence in Boston living rooms for generations.

Career Timeline at a Glance

Rhondella Richardson’s Net Worth and Salary

Rhondella Richardson has built a distinguished broadcasting career spanning nearly four decades. As a reporter and co-anchor at WCVB-TV in Boston, she earns an estimated annual salary in the range of $56,500 to $120,000.

Factoring in her decades at top-rated network affiliates, her investigative work, and her board roles, her estimated net worth is widely cited in the range of $800,000 to $1.5 million — though exact figures remain private.

Legacy: The Mentor in Motion

In a media landscape that often prizes the new over the proven, Rhondella Richardson stands as a testament to what sustained excellence looks like. She didn’t build her career chasing viral moments. She built it story by story, source by source, community by community.

She has watched Boston change — and helped its residents understand those changes. She has broken ground as a woman of color in a field where representation still matters. She has shown younger journalists that a long career is possible when it’s built on integrity.

That’s a legacy worth more than any award.

Notable Colleagues at WCVB NewsCenter 5

• Jennifer Eagan — weekend morning co-anchor alongside Rhondella

• Heather Unruh — veteran WCVB anchor

• Ed Harding — longtime WCVB anchor and reporter

• Janet Wu — investigative and political reporter

• Liz Brunner — former co-anchor and Boston media personality

• Erika Tarantal — reporter and anchor

Sources

• WCVB NewsCenter 5 official biography

• Northeastern University Alumni Magazine — Northeastern University official publications

• Boston Magazine, “The 50 Most Intriguing Women in Boston”

• FamousIntel.com — Rhondella Richardson profile, updated January 2026

• DigitalJournalUSA.co.uk — Rhondella Richardson biography, updated February 2026