Tristate radio listeners welcomed Jim Fox back to Cincinnati's airwaves Thursday night, as the former DJ convicted of soliciting sex from a minor in Xenia began a “two or three-week” tryout as a WLW-AM (700) talk host.

        “I'm glad you're back on the radio,” said a caller named Stella from Lebanon to Mr. Fox, 51, who was fired by WUBE-FM (105.1) after his April 11 conviction in Greene County.

Jim Fox

        “Everybody somewhere down the line has done something they're not proud of, and we all have to get forgiveness for things,” said Jane from Fort Union, Ky., who has listened to Mr. Fox since he started on WKRQ-FM (101.9) 26 years ago. “I'm not proud of what you did, but I'm proud of what you're doing.”

        Mr. Fox, the city's No. 2-rated morning personality last spring, was arrested April 8 by Xenia police. He had planned to have sex with a 14-year-old girl he had met on the Internet, police said. The “teen” turned out to be an undercover police officer.

        He was fined $250, sentenced to 30 days in jail (suspended), put on proba tion for five years, and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

        He told listeners Thursday that he was seeing two counselors, one at a court-ordered therapy session every week in Dayton and a private consulting psychologist. Mr. Fox said he was auditioning for the 9 p.m.-midnight show vacant since Bill Cunningham moved to 12:30-3 p.m. last month. Before going on the air, he said he was a “nervous wreck,” in part because he hadn't done talk radio since working afternoons on WKRC-AM in 1991-92, between his morning music shows on WKRQ-FM and WUBE-FM.

        “I'm nervous because some people want to run me out of town on a rail, as much as being nervous about trying a new format,” Mr. Fox said. He debuted on WLW-AM Thursday one day after his six-month “non-compete” clause prohibiting him from working at another station had expired.

        “You're wondering why I'm here tonight? It's because I need a job,” he told the WLW-AM audience.

        “We're going to try him out and see how he does,” Darryl Parks, AM operations director for Clear Channel's four AM stations here, said earlier in the day. “I don't know what the reaction will be tonight, but I don't foresee anything horrible.”

        Mr. Fox spent the 90 minutes talking about his arrest and treatment. Not one caller said he didn't belong back in broadcasting. “Hopefully, we will get on to a different subject, but let's get on with this one first,” he said.

        In an interview before going on the air, the 26-year Cincinnati radio veteran said he was not looking for sympathy — just a chance to revive his career.

        “I have humiliated myself, and I may never recover from that,” Mr. Fox said. “I don't know how it will play with folks, but I'm trying to regain my life, trying to turn it around, and make amends for what I've done. I'm not asking for any sympathy. But if given a second chance, I will make the most of it,” he said.

        “After two nights, if the reaction is too adverse, WLW-AM may not want me. I'm not expecting more than two or three weeks, but I'm hoping for more than that.”

        Mr. Fox said reaction from fans since his arrest and conviction has been 90 percent favorable.

        “People have been very supportive, which has helped a lot,” he said.

        He told listeners that he thought his radio career had ended when he was fired in April.

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