JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First Coast Connect will have a new interim host following the departure of Melissa Ross.
WJCT announced the appointment of Al Letson as the interim host of “First Coast Connect,” starting July 5, 2023.
The station says the announcement marks a homecoming of sorts for Letson, who grew up in Northeast Florida and remains both a familiar name and voice on WJCT News 89.9.
As the host of “Reveal,” public radio’s first hour-long investigative journalism show, Letson’s reporting is heard on over 500 public radio stations every week — including WJCT News 89.9, where it airs every Saturday at 3 p.m.
Letson’s interdisciplinary work as a storyteller spans from radio broadcasting to spoken word, and from screenwriting to graphic novels. His playwriting credits include “The Centre Cannot Hold,” “Summer In Sanctuary,” “Chalk,” “Julius X” and “Griot.” He has worked in TV writers rooms for AMC, Apple TV, and Hulu. He has also sold and developed shows with AMC, FX, STARZ and EONE.
As a journalist, Letson has received critical acclaim and numerous awards, including three Peabody Awards and four National Edward R. Murrow Awards.
“I’m so excited to be hosting ‘First Coast Connect,’ and reconnecting with the city,” said Letson. “It’s an honor to talk to the community I know and love every morning. Storytelling is what I do, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to be a part of Northeast Florida’s story every weekday morning.”
"First Coast Connect'' airs live on WJCT News 89.9 every Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The show also re-broadcasts at 8 p.m. and 1 a.m., and episode recaps are shared daily at news.wjct.org/firstcoastconnect.
Additionally, the show can be streamed online on the WJCT Public Media app, wjct.org, Alexa, and most major audio streaming platforms like iHeartRadio and TuneIn. It is also available as a podcast on all major podcasting platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
