Richard Burns is a news reporter for talk radio station West Coast Talk Radio (WCTR) in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He often reports on the happenings around the state, usually caused by or relating to the actions of Carl Johnson.
Richard finds himself not only reporting on events, but also participating in them. In one instance, he joins a carjacker who shows him the ropes of stealing a car, and even yells at the woman that the carjacker stole from for interfering with his news report. He later steals the gun of a policeman he's riding with and uses it to shoot illegal racers they're chasing across the countryside. He even covers the Los Santos riots following the acquittal of Frank Tenpenny, and even fires a gun at some looters for trying to raid his newsvan.
After the riots, he is subsequently fired after he lets slip that he stole household items while on the air. He – at one point – reports under the influence of drugs and during the riots in Los Santos. He also dates and lives in an apartment with Lianne Forget who on some occasions cuts Burns off. He is later fired and moves to Liberty City. By 1998 he has set up a website about the history of the internet and phones in to the Electron Zone program on Liberty City Free Radio in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
He is voiced by Wil Wheaton.
Trivia[]
- Burns is one of the featured celebrities on the Vinewood Walk of Fame in Grand Theft Auto V.
- Burns may be based on American reporter Zoey Tur, who pioneered live broadcasts on-board a helicopter and covered the attack on a truck driver during the 1992 L.A. riots, which was the inspiration for the Los Santos Riots near the climax of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Richard reported several incidents live throughout the game, sometimes with him being on the scene.
- A pedestrian in GTA V may mention seeing him at Bean Machine in Grand Theft Auto V.