Toledo newsman returns to market as director at WNWO-Channel 24

Jim Blue, a former news anchor at WNWO-TV.

A veteran Toledo television newsman is returning to the market this month as news director and anchor of WNWO-Channel 24.

Jim Blue will start Jan. 23 as he leaves his job at WFFT in Fort Wayne, Ind., to return to northwest Ohio where he worked at WNWO -- an NBC affiliate -- from 2002 to 2008. He will anchor the 6 p.m. broadcast.

“I’m tremendously excited about rejoining WNWO at a time of incredible renewal at the station and in the community. We’ve all sacrificed in recent years to achieve a new vitality in our economy and in our city. Now I hope to build upon WNWO’s recent successes and work to provide a fresh, independent journalistic voice in Toledo,” he said in a news release.

Blue has been a journalist for 25 years and he also is a licensed private pilot. He came to Toledo from Columbia, S.C., where he had been an anchor for five years, leaving Toledo five years when his contract was not renewed.

WNWO has been a ratings laggard for years, trailing the more popular CBS and ABC affiliates. It is owned by Barrington Broadcasting.