Crossover commentator

Civil rights | Detroit anchorman Frank Turner makes waves by attempting a career in evangelistic broadcasting | John Dawson

Frank Turner says there's a reason why he calls himself "America's First Evangelical Anchorman." Two years ago, it wasn't uncommon to tune into Detroit's Channel 7 news (WXYZ) 5 p.m. broadcast and see Mr. Turner deliver a gospel-filled commentary at the end of the broadcast. He says WXYZ not only allowed but encouraged him to talk about Jesus during a secular broadcast in the nation's No. 11 television market.

So when officials at Channel 7 denied him the opportunity to host a daily two-hour radio broadcast on a small Christian radio station, he said he was confused. In fact, management officials at WXYZ, he said, met his idea to become a full-time evangelist as well as full-time news anchor with "eye rolling and deep sighing."