John Murphy (announcer)
John Murphy is an American sportscaster from Buffalo, New York. He is best known as the voice of the Buffalo Bills Radio Network and host of The John Murphy Show on WGR. In addition to the Bills, he also served as commentator for the Buffalo Bisons, Canisius College Golden Griffins, Buffalo Bulls and Niagara University Purple Eagles in the 1980s.
Television career
Murphy served as sports director at WBEN from 1984 to 1992 and hosted a talk show on the station until 1995. In 1989, Murphy succeeded Rick Azar as WKBW-TV's 6 PM sports anchor, joining Irv Weinstein and Tom Jolls in Western New York's most popular (at the time) newscast. Murphy was named Sports Director in 1992, one year after the departure of Sports Director Bob Koshinski. He held the position for eighteen years, until September 2007, when Murphy balked at taking a twenty-percent pay cut, as other employees had done because of Granite Broadcasting's financial problems.
Murphy remained off television until his non-compete contract clause expired, after which he joined WIVB-TV, WKBW's crosstown rival, in March 2008, to become that station's sports director. He replaced longtime sports director Dennis Williams in the position. Murphy left WIVB in June 2012 to focus full-time on his Bills duties.[1]
During his time at WKBW, he made a cameo in the film Bruce Almighty, the only WKBW anchor to do so.
Buffalo Bills
In addition to his job at WKBW, Murphy also serves as the play-by-play voice of the Buffalo Bills radio network, a position he has held since the retirement of Van Miller following the 2003 season. Murphy is best known for his association with the Buffalo Bills. From 1984 to 1989, and again from 1994 to 2004, Murphy served as the Bills' color analyst, alongside Miller. Starting on July 26, 2012, he has hosted The John Murphy Show, a Bills-themed talk show on WGR in Buffalo.[2][3]
Filmography
- Bruce Almighty (2003) (as himself)
Personal life
John Murphy is originally from Lockport, New York, and currently resides in Orchard Park. He is married to former Orchard Park town supervisor (and former WKBW consumer affairs reporter) Mary Travers. The couple have two children, Mark and Jack.
References
- ↑ Pergament, Alan (March 30, 2012). Sources: Murphy to Bills June 1. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ↑ http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/144072-john-murphy-to-host-nightly-show-on-wgr/
- ↑ http://prod.www.bills.clubs.nfl.com/news/article-1/The-John-Murphy-Show-debuts-July-26/382e7c83-0a8a-4bd4-952f-ea09dc5239a4
- Information from his WKBW-TV profile, which is no longer on the Web.
External links
| Preceded by |
WBEN (AM) Sports Anchor 1984–1995 |
Succeeded by Chris "Bulldog" Parker |
| Preceded by Stan Barron and Jefferson Kaye |
Buffalo Bills color commentator 1984–1989 |
Succeeded by Greg Brown |
| Preceded by Bob Koshinski |
WKBW-TV Sports Anchor 1989–2007 |
Succeeded by Jeff Russo |
| Preceded by Greg Brown |
Buffalo Bills color commentator 1994–2004 |
Succeeded by Alex Van Pelt |
| Preceded by Van Miller |
Buffalo Bills announcer 2004–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| Preceded by Dennis Williams |
WIVB-TV Sports Anchor 2008–2012 |
Succeeded by Steve Vesey |
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