6ABC meteorologist David Murphy leaving ‘Action News’ after 31 years
The Temple grad had an advantage when a reporting position opened up at 6ABC in 1990 — he already knew how to pronounce Schuylkill.
Bye, Murph!
David Murphy, the affable meteorologist who has been at 6ABC for 31 years and delivered the day’s weather for the morning edition of Action News for the past 17, is retiring from the station next month. His final day will be Tuesday, Sept. 7, according to 6abc president and general manager Bernie Prazenica, who called Murphy “part of the bedrock of Action News for decades.”
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“I was lucky enough to work at several great TV stations early in my career, but the entire time, my wife and I couldn’t stop thinking about coming home to Philadelphia,” Murphy said in a statement. “Channel 6 was the only station I seriously pursued. I knew this was the newscast everybody watched, and I wanted to have a lengthy career at the station.”
Murphy, 62, is one of the longest-tenured on-air personalities at 6abc — only anchors Jim Gardner and Rick Williams have been at the station longer. Murphy wrote on Twitter that he informed his bosses in January that he had decided to retire, and said he had a twinkle in his eye knowing it would be his last time covering a cold Philadelphia winter.
“Your retirement is well deserved, but man are we going to miss you!” 6abc meteorologist and traffic anchor Karen Rogers wrote on Twitter.
When 6abc anchor Matt O’Donnell was hired by the station in 1996 as a news reporter, he was paired with Murphy to learn the ropes. O’Donnell said he remains the example he’s tried to match since.
“Bottom line, David always gets the job done, no matter the obstacle,” O’Donnell wrote on Facebook. “I’ve seen him as a leader and a personal big brother ever since.”
Murphy was hired by 6abc in 1990 as a general assignment reporter after stints in Allentown, Wilkes-Barre, and Baltimore. The Temple graduate grew up in the area and had an advantage over others seeking the open position: He already knew how to pronounce Schuylkill.
He became a meteorologist at the station in 2004, where he has delighted and disappointed Action News viewers with his weather forecasts. That included Wednesday morning, where his forecast called for another hot and humid day … and cold drinks, if you have them.
As for what’s next for Murphy? He said he plans on staying in the Philadelphia area and enjoying life.
“I just turned 62 last week,” Murphy said on-air Wednesday morning. “I was actually making my first professional decisions about my life when I was 13, so since I got started early on all this working stuff I sort-of decided maybe it’s a good idea to step back a little bit early and take on the next chapter.”