CLASS OF 1988
Steve Murphy worked broadcast news spending his 41-year career at WOW. He is recognized as one of the key leaders of Freedom of Information causes in Nebraska.
Murphy joined WOW in 1951, two years after graduating from Creighton University. He was associate news director in 1965 and named news director for both WOW Radio and WOW-TV channel 6 in 1970.
When the television station was sold and separated from radio becoming WOWT in 1976, Murphy stayed with the television news operation until retiring in 1990.
Murphy served as a member of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Board of Directors, but perhaps his most important work was that as long-time chair of the NBA Freedom of Information Committee. He was an NBA representative to the Media of Nebraska organization, which joined print and broadcast journalists to work on first amendment issues.
He was also busy as a member of the Board of Directors of the (International) Radio-Television News Directors Association.
Murphy’s awards are many, including those from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Creighton University, and Midland College. In 1985 he was named Journalist of the Year by the Nebraska Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Murphy died in 2002 at the age of 77.
