JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The on-air staff of Jacksonville's most watched evening news is growing again.
General Manager Bob Ellis announced Friday that Tarik Minor and Kent Justice will join Tom Wills, Mary Baer, Rob Sweeting and Joy Purdy on the weekday News4Jax evening newscasts beginning Monday, June 1.
Minor moves from 9 a.m. hour of The Morning Show to co-anchor News4Jax at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. with Joy Purdy, and Justice moves from weekend evenings to co-anchor with Purdy weeknights at 11 p.m.
Anchor Rob Sweeting, who has been on WJXT for 30 years, will continue to anchor these newscasts as well on a limited basis and will focus more of his time on the community service aspect of his job on behalf of The Local Station.
PHOTO GALLERY: Rob Sweeting through the years
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Rob Sweeting | Tarik Minor | Kent Justice
"We are continuously looking for ways to better serve the Jacksonville community. By adding two additional trusted and well-known journalists to these newscasts we will have, by far, the largest staff of anchor/reporters in the market working for our viewers," Ellis said. "The expertise and knowledge both Tarik and Kent bring with them will be a tremendous asset for our viewers."
"Kent Justice is the pre-eminent political journalist in Jacksonville. The recent mayoral and sheriff's debates demonstrated he's in a class by himself," Ellis added. "And Tarik Minor is unmatched as a reporter in our town. No one understands how news affects people in our community better than Tarik," Ellis continued. "These two men define what it means to be local. Both are hard-working and are raising their families here. Viewers will clearly see the benefits of having them part of the News4Jax team when they watch each night."
Sweeting is eager to get started on the newest aspects of his role at WJXT.
"My time here has been fantastic; it's been an incredible 30 years," said Sweeting. "I asked station management if my role could allow me to spend more time in the community, especially volunteering with local non-profits. They are helping me make it happen. Eventually, I see myself teaching broadcasting at the college level helping to create the next group of journalists at Channel 4. And you can bet I'll be back in the anchor chair often."
"Rob is such an asset at our station and to Jacksonville," Ellis said. "I'm thrilled he wants to get out of the studio and serve the people of Jacksonville in a different way. When he's anchoring the news, he'll bring with him to the anchor desk a different type of local insight that epitomizes what The Local Station is all about. There truly won't be another person on TV in this town like him."