WIXX hosts Katie and Nick are leaving radio station the week after 'Murphy in the Morning' retired
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the job titles of Jeffrey Wright, Michael Wright, and Mary Kay Wright.
GREEN BAY - The last two co-hosts of the radio show "Murphy in the Morning" have signed off for the last time after over 20 years on the air.
Their departure comes the week after their "Murphy in the Morning" co-host, Jim Murphy, retired.
Katie Schurk and Nick Vitrano have "made the extremely tough decision" to leave WIXX-FM (101.1) after 20 and 21 years on the air, respectively, the station said. In a Facebook post, Schurk thanked the radio station and their listeners, and said she and Vitrano "want to take some time away to process this life-altering decision" before announcing future plans.
In the WIXX Facebook post, the station said, "We will miss them and sincerely wish them the best."
On both posts, viewers expressed shock, sadness and gratitude for Nick and Katie's long years of working with the station, especially for their work co-hosting "Murphy in the Morning." Several commenters praised the hosts' positivity and said they had been listening to their show for decades.
Vitrano and Schurk's departure comes on the heels of their cohost Jim Murphy leaving Nov. 28 after 32 years. While Murphy had "an emotional send-off" with tributes to his impact on Green Bay, Vitrano and Schurk preferred to make "a quiet exit," WIXX said.
As for what will replace the hosts' time slot from 5 to 9 a.m., WIXX told its listeners to "stay tuned" for a further announcement.
WIXX is owned by Midwest Communications, a family-owned radio broadcasting company with 81 stations across the Midwest. It had been founded and owned by Duke Wright, a Green Bay radio mogul who died last year. Two family members, Michael and Mary Kay Wright, are chief operating officer and chief marketing officer at the company, respectively, and another, Jeffrey, is the chief sales officer, according to the company website.
When reached for comment, a representative of Midwest Communications directed the Press-Gazette to their public announcement on Facebook.
Rebecca Loroff is a breaking and trending news reporter for northeastern Wisconsin. Contact her with story tips and feedback at rloroff@gannett.com.