Rob Roblin, 79, Baltimore’s Longtime Local Voice and Community Storyteller, Dies
Rob Roblin, a fixture on WBAL-TV and a beloved reporter whose empathy and grit defined four decades of local broadcasting, died Monday from complications of a stroke. He was 79.
A Towson resident and trusted face in Baltimore journalism, Roblin was known not just for braving storms on live TV, but for telling the stories of everyday people with sincerity and warmth. His passing marks the end of an era for the city’s media—and a deep personal loss for many who grew up watching him.
A Reporter Built for the Storm
For 45 years, when the weather turned dangerous, Roblin was the one Baltimore turned to. Whether soaked in salt water during hurricanes at Ocean City or knee-deep in snowbanks on the Beltway, he made crisis coverage feel human. Through blizzards, floods, and countless cold mornings, he brought the facts with humor, compassion, and a signature presence.
“He loved talking to all people,” said his son, Stephen Roblin. “He also knew how to work a room.”
Viewers saw him as fearless, but friends and colleagues saw something more: someone grounded, kind, and deeply generous. “He was a Baltimore treasure,” said longtime WBAL colleague Jennifer Franciotti. “He wore his heart on his sleeve.”
A Voice That Reflected the City
Roblin’s gift wasn’t just his broadcast presence—it was his ability to listen. His interviews weren’t about getting the story first, but getting it right. His style was direct, often folksy, and deeply respectful of the people he covered. In a media era often chasing spectacle, he focused on connection.
Dan Joerres, WBAL’s general manager, called him “a presence like no other.” Roblin’s live broadcast from the Polar Bear Plunge—where he dove into the Chesapeake Bay in full clothing—became legendary and helped elevate the event into a major fundraiser for the Maryland Special Olympics.
“Rob was authentic and a great friend to our athletes,” said Jim Schmutz, CEO of Special Olympics Maryland. “His presence was a catalyst. He gave us visibility and momentum that changed everything.”
A Career That Spanned the Country
Born in Toronto, Rob Roblin was raised in Mississippi from the age of two. His early life was marked by personal loss—both parents died while he was young, and he was raised by his stepmother. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi and began his reporting career at WLBT-TV in Jackson.
He held reporting roles in Mobile, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Chicago, and Cincinnati before settling into what would become his defining role at WBAL-TV in the early 1970s. Though he stepped away from the station a few times, he always returned. His final 24-year stretch led up to his retirement in 2014.
“He often said, ‘I don’t know why they keep bringing me back,’” said his son.
But viewers and coworkers knew the answer: he was irreplaceable.
A Life Rooted in Relationships
Beyond his reporting, Roblin’s legacy is personal. He built relationships that lasted decades. He mentored younger journalists and never stopped encouraging others. U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume remembered him as someone with no judgment or ill will: “We will miss his example of human caring.”
He is survived by his sons Ablan Roblin (Sacramento), Frank Roblin (Towson), and Stephen Roblin (Olney); his sister, Mary Maharrey (St. Louis); a companion, Terri Young (Baltimore); a former wife, Dian Roblin (Sacramento); eight grandchildren; and a close family friend, Beau Kershaw (Severna Park). His wife of 40 years, Mary Roblin, died in 2017.
A visitation will be held Monday at Ruck Towson Funeral Home from 2–4 p.m. and 6–8 p.m.
