Toledo Free Press
“And they’re off!” WFFT anchor Jim Blue exclaimed introducing a story on ostrich racing on the fledgling FOX-55 television news station in Fort Wayne, Ind.
The ostrich segment on Aug. 10 was a kicker, the term newscasters use for an amusing story that ends their newscast.
While the 57-year-old Blue has a sense of humor, he takes journalism seriously and hopes his new station flies better than ostriches. The new gig began less than a year after Blue’s contract wasnt renewed after six years at WNWO-TV NBC24 in Toledo.
The nonrenewal was disappointing for Blue, a former Toledo Free Press columnist, who has a home in Toledo and had no desire to leave.
“On the other hand, it opened up this opportunity here and this is the most challenging and exciting thing I’ve ever done,” said Blue, who, in addition to anchoring the stations nightly 10 p.m. newscast, is also the news director. More…