Nic Harcourt Wants His MTV: Tastemaker Leaves KCRW for New Gig

UPDATED(11:07 a.m. PT): Friday morning Cal State Northridge-based KCSN announced that Harcourt will be joining the station as a weekend host in mid-July. He will also contribute daily commentary on noteworthy new artists.

Harcourt stated, "Change is good. I'm truly excited about the opportunity to work with the team at KCSN as they build a dynamic new music format for Los Angeles."

Harcourt served as Music Director and host of "Morning Becomes Eclectic" for ten years before ceding the position to Jason Bentley in 2008. He has hosted the station's Sunday night music show until this past weekend, which now apparently remains his last show in light of today's surprise announcement.

MTV did announce in April that Harcourt had been tapped as their first Music Supervisor in Residence, though it appeared to be yet another addition to the many positions he currently holds. No word on whether Harcourt will relocate to MTV's headquarters in New York.

"Every music director that has come to KCRW has been able to build on the foundation their predecessors left behind," KCRW General Manager Jennifer Ferro said in a statement. "It meant a lot to have all three of our former music directors on the air here, but we wish him well as he continues to find new ways to share his unique music sensibility."

Harcourt was the third host of the definitive "Morning Becomes Eclectic," following Tom Schnabel and Chris Douridas. He has been credited with helping launch the careers of artists like Adele, Norah Jones, Interpol and Sigur Ros, among others.

Fellow ex-L.A. journo giant Ann Powers, who herself left the L.A. Times in February for a gig with NPR Music, noted this morning on her Twitter:

@annkpowers Nic Harcourt leaving KCRW for MTV. Another end of another era.