Rochester, New York (February 20, 2026) — WXXI News’ Alex Crichton, local host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” heard weekdays from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on WXXI-FM 105.9, announced today that he will be retiring after 42 years at the station. Known for his dry sense of humor and witty on-air delivery, his voice has been a staple for drivetime commuters and longtime listeners in the Rochester area.
Crichton joined WXXI in 1984 as a jazz disc jockey for AM 1370 when the station was a news/jazz/public affairs format. During his four decades at the
station, he has covered sports, produced news and music programs, hosted a daily and then a weekly jazz show, produced live remotes, interviewed a variety of people from musicians to politicians, engineered talk shows, and produced newscasts.
In 1997, he became the local host of “Morning Edition,” where he remained until 2012, when he started hosting “All Things Considered.”
A graduate of Ashland College, now Ashland University, Crichton’s first radio job was as a part time disc jockey at WGMC in Greece, where he played a mix of jazz and contemporary pop music. He also served as a sports reporter and regular substitute anchor for John Doser at Rochester Radio Sports, where his stories were carried on WHAM, WBBF, WGMC, WYLF and WBSU. He also worked at WRTK Talk radio and WBBF before joining WXXI.
In addition to his radio work, Crichton narrated the WXXI documentaries, “Horses on Parade” and “Benches on Parade.” During his tenure, Crichton received several awards including the Established Media Professional Award from the Rochester Media Association and New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association awards.
Crichton’s last day is Friday, February 27.