Kevin Dietz, the veteran investigative reporter whose 26-year career with WDIV-TV (Channel 4) ended this summer in controversy, is returning to the airwaves — this time as a fill-in host for WJR-AM (760).

On Wednesday morning, Dietz subbed for WJR veteran radio anchor Paul W. Smith in the 5-9 a.m. morning drive slot.

WJR posted a photo of Dietz on its Twitter account that said he was filling in for Smith and "having fun in the ⁦@FisherBldgDET." The station's offices are located at the top of the Fisher Building in Midtown Detroit.

Dietz also sat in for Smith a couple weeks ago, and there are plans for him to cover a few shifts next week for Frank Beckmann's 9 a.m.-noon shift.

It's the most noticeable media plunge yet that the longtime Detroit broadcast journalist has taken since his abrupt departure from WDIV-TV earlier this summer.

Dietz said in a Facebook post on July 1 that he had been fired because of a comment he made about an African -American reporter at the 2019 Investigative Reporters & Editors conference in Houston.

"While attending a social event during the conference, we took a WDIV team photo and I jokingly said to the group 'We are probably going to have to crop the black reporter out of the photo.' The intent of my comment was to openly acknowledge, amongst team members, the challenge it’s been for our company, and many companies, to achieve diversity goals. This is a serious subject that I approached through humor," Dietz wrote.

According to Dietz, the black reporter involved said he was not offended and came to his defense, but that WDIV has a zero-tolerance policy about racially insensitive statements.

Dietz also said in the post, "It is important to include the fact that alcohol was provided at this event and, according to management, was a factor in my termination.” Six years ago, he was jailed under Michigan's "super drunk" law after being cited for driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.17% or higher, according to Michigan Secretary of State records.

More:WDIV-TV reporter Kevin Dietz says he was terminated over comment about black reporter

The station released a statement on July 1 that framed Dietz's departure as a resignation: “Kevin Dietz has resigned from WDIV effective immediately. We’ve had a long relationship with Kevin and we wish him well. Personnel issues such as this are respectfully private and we will have no further comment.”

In his July 1 comments on Facebook, Dietz apologized for the incident. "I regret the fact that it happened, and apologize to anyone I might have offended," he wrote. "I love Detroit and everyone who calls it 'home.' Every situation creates opportunity for personal growth, and that is how I view this event in my life."

WWJR program director Mike Wheeler said that Dietz's role at the station right now is occasional subbing. According to Wheeler, WJR looks for high-profile, thoughtful figures who know the city to serve as on-air fill-in hosts.

"That's where we draw our future talents," said Wheeler, noting that former Detroit TV anchor Guy Gordon spent a couple of years subbing for Smith before starting his 3-5 p.m. show on WJR.

Asked about Dietz's controversial departure from local TV and whether it affected the decision to put him on the air, Wheeler said, "High-profile, smart, connected to Detroit, those are all the things I'm looking for. I don't concern myself with the other stuff."

Although Dietz is a TV veteran, Wheeler said that he shows "a lot of potential" on radio.

During Wednesday morning's broadcast, Dietz interviewed Macomb County public works commissioner Candice Miller, Oakland Country treasurer Andy Meisner, former WJR reporter Tom Corbett (who now resides in Hong Kong and talked about the massive protests underway there) and a former hit man again in trouble with the law.

The conversations are available as podcasts on Paul W. Smith's WJR web page.

Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds: 313-222-6427 or jhinds@freepress.com.