Local TV gets new morning talent

Melissa Andrews

There will be two new faces on the WTOL-WUPW morning news team: Ashley James and Melissa Andrews.

James, a weekday evening anchor with WMDT-TV in Salisbury, Md., joins WTOL-TV, Channel 11, as the developing news anchor with the 4:30 to 7 a.m. Your Morning newscast and will co-anchor the WUPW-TV, Channel 36, FOX Toledo Daybreak from 7 to 8 a.m. Her first day on air is Friday.

"We are very excited about Ashley joining our Your Morning and FOX Toledo Daybreak team," said C.J. Hoyt, Channel 11 news director. "She'll play a major role in bringing our viewers their first look at news that will develop throughout the day."

While James is new to the area, Andrews should be a familiar name to local viewers from her previous work on WTVG-TV, Channel 13, and, most recently hosting a weekly public-affairs show on WBGU-TV, Channel 27, in Bowling Green. She is replacing recently departed Tina Shaerban as the traffic anchor on Your Morning and FOX Toledo Daybreak, and anchor on WTOL's Your Day from 9 to 10 a.m. and WTOL 11 News at Noon.

"Returning to news was not an easy decision," Andrews said. "I've enjoyed working part-time and spending my off-days with my kids, who are 3 and 1. But news is in my blood and I couldn't pass on the opportunity to anchor five days a week at WTOL.

"The morning arena is where I thrive. The interaction with viewers and co-anchors would put a smile on anyone's face, even at 4:30 a.m."

Andrews is scheduled to join WTOL Monday and should be on air sometime next week.