Radio has always been a big part of Alex Crichton’s life. He traces it back to his childhood, when his parents didn't want him watching too much television.
"So I snuck off with the radio a lot, and I got into listening to sports on the radio. I just got the bug," he said.
Crichton thought he'd become a hockey play-by-play announcer. He even attended a sportscasters camp and sometimes practiced into a tape recorder while sitting in the stands of an Amerks game.
He eventually abandoned that goal. But his fascination with radio continued, and it was strong enough to fuel a 45-year radio career, which includes 42 years at WXXI.
But that decades-long run will come to an end when he retires next week: Feb. 27 will be his last day on the air.
"I'm going to miss the routine of having a job and getting into it every morning, but I'm worn out,” he said.
Since 2012, Crichton's been the voice of local news on “All Things Considered.” But his many contributions to WXXI can be traced back to its very first day as an NPR member station — July 2, 1984. In those early days, there weren’t many people working at the station, so you could tune in and hear him hosting a two-hour jazz show as well as Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Elissa Orlando, WXXI's former senior vice president of television and news, compared Crichton's professional growth over the years to the evolution of public media in Rochester.
"The evolution of music, the evolution of journalism, the evolution of trust that has happened over the years at WXXI are really embodied in Alex," she said.
His coworkers also praise his dependability and strong work ethic. But ask them or his listeners what they'll remember most, and they'll probably say it's his dry humor and his on-air presence. An offhand remark about traffic or the weather or the state of the world. His unaffected ease and conversational style.
"He's very introverted, and I think this is part of his appeal," said Classical 91.5 morning host Brenda Tremblay, who said Crichton was one of the first people she met when she started working at WXXI in 1991. "There's something that draws you into his world while he's on the air with you in a very intimate way. He's just a craftsman of radio."
When he’s not on the air, Crichton is usually gathering audio and writing scripts for newscasts. Former WXXI news director Randy Gorbman remembered that one of Crichton's strengths was monitoring — and distilling — lengthy public meetings.
“Some of these things, frankly, as the saying goes, they're kind of like watching paint dry, but Alex manages to get the salient points," Gorbman said. "He is very good at editing quickly.”
Among many other things, WXXI News executive editor Denise Young values Crichton’s institutional knowledge.
“That immediate understanding of the issues that have affected Rochester throughout the years, throughout the decades. He was here for all of it," she said.
WXXI President and CEO Chris Hastings said Crichton will be leaving behind a remarkable legacy.
"Alex has brought intelligence, curiosity, and a genuine sense of humanity to our airwaves, becoming a trusted presence in the daily lives of our listeners," Hastings said. "I'm deeply grateful for the care he's shown our community and for the countless moments he's helped make sense of the world around us."
For his part, Crichton said he is ready for retirement, but he has some trepidation about what it will look like.
"I'm looking more forward in terror of what retirement may bring," he said. "I'm not sure what you're supposed to do when you're retired."
Here's one suggestion, Alex: Take in a few hockey games — without the pressure of announcing the plays.
