WFHB FireHouse Broadcasting

Former WFIU News Director takes the helm at Indiana’s original community radio station

The staff and board of Bloomington’s only community-owned and community-run local media outlet welcome longtime broadcast journalist Will Murphy to the station’s top office, effective June 1. Murphy succeeds Markus Lowe, who stepped down in March. Lowe remains actively involved with the station as a programmer and technology advisor. Murphy is no stranger to WFHB, having been an avid listener and supporter for more than fourteen years.

"I've been listening to the station since I first came to Bloomington, and for me it's one of the reasons this place feels like home. I've always been impressed by the range of programming; I can't think of another station in Indiana broadcasting everything from gospel to gay/lesbian talk ("bloomingOUT"). It's truly remarkable and I will do everything I can to maintain that diverse blend of community involvement, great music, and local voices."

Murphy is perhaps best known for his work at the public radio station WFIU, where he served as news director for nearly eight years before leaving the station in December. During his time at WFIU he helped implement the station’s news presence on the Web and establish a statehouse bureau for public broadcasting stations across Indiana. Under his leadership the station won over five dozen awards from state and national news organizations. He holds two degrees in English from University of Wyoming.

A strong news background is part of what made Murphy attractive to WFHB News Director Chad Carrothers, the staff representative on the six-member committee that recommended Will to the station’s board of directors.

“Will Murphy has served me well as a colleague and mentor and I will depend on him even more now that he’s my boss! As a former news director he is acutely aware of the potential for independent local media to inform and empower our community. Will is uniquely positioned to leverage that power in terms of both community service and solidifying the station’s financial base.”

WFHB board president Carolyn VandeWiele agrees. She sees Will as someone who understands WFHB but at the same time brings in a fresh perspective.

"Will is an ‘insider’ in terms of radio production and local connections but an ‘outsider’ to WFHB’s internal workings, so he can look at things from a fresh angle and help us set and achieve goals in ways we hadn’t looked at previously. At the same time he affirms our commitment to maintaining the station’s local focus and diverse perspectives in all aspects of its operations. The Board of Directors looks forward to working with him."

Murphy isn’t waiting until the official June 1 start date to get his feet wet. He’s already conducting countless meetings with many of WFHB’s “stakeholders” - staff, board members, listeners, and of course volunteers.

"My first days (and probably weeks) will be spent getting to know more about the station and the people who keep it going. I'm not going in with an agenda of what needs to change. I'll be doing a lot of listening to other people, asking them what I can do to help them make the station even better."