KGO-AM 810 has hired Gil Gross, an ABC Radio Network anchor, to take over the late Pete Wilson’s 2-4 p.m. weekday slot starting Sept. 17. Gross currently broadcasts out of Los Angeles and anchors ABC Radio’s newscasts from 3 to 8 p.m. (Pacific) weekdays. He anchored ABC Radio’s 9/11 coverage. He’s the main substitute for Paul Harvey and has subbed locally for Ronn Owens for several years.

“It’s a good call for them, looking for a moderate, mid-range voice for that slot, someone with a political and news-oriented range like Wilson’s,” former Merc radio critic Brad Kava said on his blog. “Contrast to the shouting on other stations at those hours and he’ll be a welcome voice of reason and intelligence.”

KGO Operations Manager Jack Swanson said, “Gil has appeared on KGO so frequently during the past few years, it’s not like a stranger joining us, but a respected friend.”

Gross’s career began in the early 1970s when, at the age of 23, he became the youngest anchorman in history on network newscasts from the ABC Chicago Bureau, while also anchoring at WLS Radio. He has had shows on stations including WABC, WCBS, WOR and a talk show on the CBS Radio Network.

“I am thrilled to be joining KGO Radio,” Gross said. “It is still committed to local programming, making it almost unique — not just in this market, but in America. It is still committed to news, and it still has a stake in its community.”

Gil is married to actress/singer Rhoda Bodzin; they have a son, Spencer Darrow Gross. They’ll be relocating to the Bay Area in the next several months, KGO said in a news release.