WGN Names Alexander to Take Over for Orion Samuelson

USAgNet - 01/22/2021

WGN Radio announced that reporter Steve Alexander will assume responsibilities from agribusiness broadcaster Orion Samuelson beginning in January. Samuelson retires on December 31 after marking more than 60 years with the station.

"In the past 60 years with Orion Samuelson at the helm, WGN has been committed to supporting, educating, and reporting agribusiness news to our listeners. That commitment continues because we are fortunate to have Steve Alexander take over for Orion," said WGN Radio Vice President and General Manager Mary Sandberg Boyle. "For more than a decade, Steve has been Orion's understudy and has an incredible depth of knowledge, ensuring our station's dedication to covering the world's largest industry: agriculture."

Since coming to WGN Radio in 2007, Steve Alexander has anchored newscasts, been a fill-in for Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong, and produced and hosted "Farming America", a daily three-minute agriculture show.

"When I've filled in for Orion over the past 12 years, I've often joked that he gave me the key to the tractor, and I was able to keep it out of the ditch until he returned. Come next month, I'll try to keep the tractor upright and continue Orion's efforts to explain how important agriculture is to all of us," said Steve Alexander. Alexander's agrarian roots run deep, extending to the Volga region of Russia where generations of his German ancestors farmed to his own upbringing on a farm in northeastern Colorado where he was immersed in the ag industry.

"Steve Alexander is the best choice to cover agriculture stories and reports," said Orion Samuelson. "Steve grew up on a farm and has the knowledge to know what is important to our audience of farmers, food producers and consumers. I am delighted that he is available to continue the WGN tradition of serving this most important audience."

Television viewers can tune to WGN Radio's sister station WGN America for "Hometown Heroes," featuring Orion Samuelson interviewed by Bob Sirott airing on NewsNation on December 18 in the 9:30 pm CT half hour.

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