John Murphy (announcer)
Encyclopedia
John Murphy is an American sportscaster from Buffalo, New York
.
Murphy is best known for his association with the Buffalo Bills
, where he currently serves as the play-by-play announcer for the team's radio network
. From 1984 to 1989, and again from 1994 to 2004, Murphy served as the Bills' color analyst, with longtime play-by-play man Van Miller
.
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.
Murphy served as sports director at WBEN
from 1984 to 1992 and hosted a talk show on the station until 1995.
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 unemployed until his non-compete contract clause expired and 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; Williams, after a brief stint in radio, is now a salesman.
During his time at WKBW, he made a cameo in the film Bruce Almighty
, the only WKBW anchor to do so.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
Murphy is best known for his association with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he currently serves as the play-by-play announcer for the team's radio network
Buffalo Bills Radio Network
The Buffalo Bills Radio Network is a broadcast radio network based in Buffalo, New York, the official radio broadcaster of the Buffalo Bills. The network's radio broadcasts are currently flagshipped at WGRF in Buffalo, New York, a station owned by Cumulus Media...
. From 1984 to 1989, and again from 1994 to 2004, Murphy served as the Bills' color analyst, with longtime play-by-play man Van Miller
Van Miller
Van Miller is a retired former radio and television sports announcer from Dunkirk, New York, where he began his career at Dunkirk radio station WFCB calling play-by-play for high school football games...
.
In addition to the Bills, he also served as commentator for the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
, Canisius College
Canisius College
Canisius College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York, United States. The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and...
Golden Griffins, Buffalo Bulls
Buffalo Bulls
The Buffalo Bulls are the athletic teams representing the University at Buffalo in intercollegiate athletics. The Bulls currently play in Division I , and are a member of the Mid-American Conference for all sports except women's rowing who is in the Cononial Athletic Assocition . They have been a...
and Niagara University
Niagara University
Niagara University is a Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition, located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York. Originally founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1856 as Our Lady of Angels Seminary, it became Niagara University in 1883. The University is still run by...
Purple Eagles in the 1980s.
Murphy served as sports director at WBEN
WBEN (AM)
WBEN is an AM and FM radio station serving the Niagara, Buffalo and Western New York area, broadcasting on 930 AM and, as of April 5, 2011, simulcasting on sister station WLKK at 107.7 FM. It previously simulcasted between 1946 and 1960 on 102.5 FM as WBEN-FM. Both stations retained the WBEN...
from 1984 to 1992 and hosted a talk show on the station until 1995.
Television career
In 1989, Murphy succeeded Rick AzarRick Azar
Rick Azar is an American broadcaster who spent 31 years at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York.- WKBW-TV career :Rick Azar was the first voice heard on WKBW-TV on November 30, 1958...
as WKBW-TV
WKBW-TV
WKBW-TV, channel 7, is the ABC affiliate for the Buffalo, New York television market, and is one of many local Buffalo TV stations seen over-the-air and on cable in Canada. Its transmitter is located at 8909 Center Street in Colden. The station is owned by the Granite Broadcasting Corporation, who...
's 6 PM sports anchor, joining Irv Weinstein
Irv Weinstein
Irwin "Irv" Weinstein is a retired local television news anchor. He hosted WKBW-TV's Eyewitness News in Buffalo, New York, for 34 years, from 1964 to 1998, becoming an iconic broadcaster well known in both the Buffalo area and in Southern Ontario, which was within WKBW's broadcast area. Weinstein...
and Tom Jolls
Tom Jolls
Tom Jolls is a retired television weatherman at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York, where he worked for 34 years. He was also the star of the Commander Tom Show which had a 26-year run on WKBW....
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
Bob Koshinski
Bob Koshinski is an American broadcaster and multi-media communications specialist from Niagara Falls, New York, best known for his involvement with the Empire Sports Network, having a prominent role in the network through its entire time of existence...
. 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 unemployed until his non-compete contract clause expired and he joined WIVB-TV
WIVB-TV
WIVB-TV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Western New York that is licensed to Buffalo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter on Center Street in Colden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to CW...
, WKBW's crosstown rival, in March 2008, to become that station's sports director. He replaced longtime sports director Dennis Williams in the position; Williams, after a brief stint in radio, is now a salesman.
During his time at WKBW, he made a cameo in the film Bruce Almighty
Bruce Almighty
Bruce Almighty is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac and written by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk. It stars Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan, a down-on-his-luck TV reporter who complains to God that He isn't doing His job correctly, and is then offered the chance to try...
, the only WKBW anchor to do so.