Murphy's Logic: Insights from 45 Years in the News Business

by Steve Murphy

Former anchor of CTV News at Six Steve Murphy offers lessons learned and opinions garnered on the changing face of the news industry over his forty-five-year career in this candid memoir. After a lifetime of reporting news and showcasing the opinions of others, Steve Murphy is finally ready to express his own opinions about the things he's done and the people he's met along the way. Murphy's Logic delves without reservation into Murphy's informal education in broadcasting, beginning as a sixteen-year-old kid who "just wanted to be on the radio." Mixing memoir and commentary, Murphy writes about his adventures covering significant regional, national, and international events and offers unique insight into the more than five thousand interviews he has conducted over his forty-five-year career — with five prime ministers, thirty-five premiers, and numerous historic figures and celebrities.

Both candid and brutally honest, Murphy's Logic examines, for the first time, two high-profile occasions during which Murphy unintentionally — and uncomfortably — became part of the stories he was covering. He offers pointed views on how the proliferation of social media has dramatically affected the news industry, and challenges readers to think critically about the media they consume.

With more than forty images, including a colour photo insert, and featuring a foreword by Ian Hanomansing, Murphy's Logic peers behind the curtain of the news business and offers readers rare insight into what Steve Murphy really thinks.

296 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 2023

About the author

With a television and radio career spanning more than forty-five years, Steve Murphy is among Atlantic Canada’s best known broadcasters. Over the course of his career, he anchored thousands of newscasts and interviewed some of the most influential and interesting people of our time. He stepped down as anchor and executive editor of CTV News at Six in December 2021 and is now a special correspondent and commentator for the station. His previous works include Live At Five: The Story Behind Its Success and Before the Camera: An Autobiography.

Reviews

[Ryan Eaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did rather enjoy this book and having lived in Atlantic Canada for 22 years and watching Steve Murphy I always enjoyed his presentation on ATV News at 6, although I did find he covered some topics that flew over my head and I found boring a little too much but otherwise I really enjoyed this

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steve Murphy is a former anchor of CTV News out of Halifax, NS, and he retired at the end of 2021. The book starts with him telling us how it all began ... working at a radio station in Saint John, NB, when he was still in high school. He knew it was what he wanted to do and was able to advance throughout his career with no formal education by working hard and being in the right place at the right time.

I moved from Nova Scotia in the spring of 1987 so many things and people he talked about brought back memories (I graduated from high school with one of his former colleagues). As a newsman, he has many stories, not surprising that the majority are political ... I'm not political at all and am not really up on the politics of the Maritime Provinces so found these less interesting. It was interesting, though, to read about the behind-the-scenes of how radio and TV stations work.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2024/02...

[Brad Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard-to-put-down read by one of the most respected journalists in Atlantic Canada, Steve Murphy provides unique insights into his nearly five-decade career.

He also takes a look at how the industry has changed over the years, especially with the prominence of social media.

As broadcaster Ian Hanomansing said in his foreword, this book should be on a lot of reading lists.

[Krista Piek · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you followed Steve Murphy's newscast on CTV over the years, you will find this book is written much like he frames his "Murphy's Logic" opinion pieces. Some interesting history and insights into his career and thoughts on world events, people, the news industry and so on. A lot of detail at times, but interesting enough.

[Brenda Brideau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gave up on it, just couldn’t keep my attention.