Tom Wills, who has spent 49 years on the anchor desk at WJXT Jacksonville, steps down following the 6 p.m. newscast Friday, May 31. He started as a weekend anchor at WJXT, then moved to 11 p.m. later that year.
Terri Cope Walton, VP and general manager of WJXT-WCWJ, saluted her outgoing anchor. "Throughout his tenure, Tom Wills has been a stalwart in the field of journalism, capturing historical moments with his impeccable reporting,” she said. “From the Supreme Court hearing on the Pentagon Papers to becoming the face of the story during the Lynyrd Skynyrd tragedy, Tom's dedication to delivering accurate and insightful news has left a mark on the industry. What makes Tom truly great at WJXT is his unwavering integrity, his exceptional ability to connect with viewers, and his relentless pursuit of the truth.”
Before joining WJXT in 1975, Wills worked at WTOP radio and TV in Washington.
Wills told B+C, “My wife and I fell in love with Jacksonville, but I really fell in love with the television station.”
During his time in Washington, he saw how the Washington Post dominated the big stories, with everyone else playing catch-up. In Jacksonville, he saw a TV station with real influence in the market. He shared about reporting on the OPEC oil crisis, “in my yellow double-knit suit,” back in the 1970s.
“It’s a heady feeling that this television station is so dominant in the community,” he said.
Graham Media Group owns WJXT. The independent station split with CBS in 2002, but remains the market leader.
Cope Walton added, “Tom's unique talent for capturing the essence of every story and delivering it with clarity and compassion has set a high standard in journalism. I’m grateful to my core for having had the opportunity to work with him.”
Wills mentioned interviewing Presidents Carter, Bush the first, Clinton and Obama. “A guy in Jacksonville, Florida!” he said. “I feel so fortunate to have had this job and have had this career, and to have worked with the people I’ve worked with.”
