DATE: Thursday, October 9, 1997             TAG: 9710080195

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 03   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: Kathryn Darling 

                                            LENGTH:   78 lines

PATRICK MURPHY OPERATIONS MANAGER AT WVNS

Hampton Roads radio personality Patrick Murphy is back on the air during the morning show on WVNS, an all-news AM radio station in Norfolk.

Murphy, a political commentator who claims to be a curmudgeon by trade, earned a reputation for hounding local politicians and keeping them to their word in the years he hosted morning shows on talk radio in Hampton Roads.

Murphy spent six years at WNIS and three years at WTAR before leaving the air to start a political consulting business. But he didn't leave the area. He worked from his home in Chesapeake and, at the same time, went into a partnership, 4 M, to develop WVNS and its sister station WVNZ in Richmond.

To avoid a conflict of interest, Murphy has dropped the consulting business and works as operations manager for the two stations, he said.

The Norfolk station, at 410 Briar Hill Road, operates from sunup to sunset, and it is ``all news,'' he said. ``Straight news that doesn't give you opinions.''

That's a switch for Murphy who believes the answer to many of our political problems lies in the voice of the people.

In the mid-'60s, Murphy served in Vietnam as a Marine radio operator. After his tour, he was angry about the U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia and he entered college to study political science.

It was there that he began began his career of watching, commenting and reporting on our political system.

``It is we the people - not we the special-interest groups, we the press or we the corporate road builders,'' he said.

It would be hard for Murphy to be without some avenue for airing his perspective, he said. Hampton Roads residents can still hear him stirring the pot of political commentary in a five-minute spot Tuesdays and Fridays on WAVY-TV 10 news at noon.

Name: Patrick Murphy.

Nickname: Pat.

What brought you to Norfolk? With a partner, I bought WYVA in Yorktown.

Birthplace: Arlington, Va.

Birthdate: 1949.

Occupation: Curmudgeon.

Marital status: Married 15 years to Juanita.

Children: Two: Christen, 13, and Amy, 12.

Last book read: ``Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,'' by Douglas Adams.

Favorite movie: ``Ernest Saves Christmas.''

Favorite magazine: Popular Communications Monitoring Times, a hobby magazine.

If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? Thomas Jefferson. There's a guy whose intellect, even to this day, dominates not only Virginia, but the entire nation.

Biggest accomplishment: My kids and my marriage.

Most embarrassing moment: I was filling in for a sportscaster at a TV station and was to read sports scores as they rolled across the screen. I wasn't supposed to be on camera for that, so I was resting, slumped on the desk, my head in my hands.

After I finished, I looked up and realized the camera had been on me.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I'd be more patient with everything.

Perfect way to spend the day: At home with my kids, wife and dog.

Favorite vacation spot: The place I haven't been yet. And Hawaii is not on that list. I had rock fever when I lived there. I wanted to get off that island.

Pet peeve: People that drive in the passing lane and don't pass and people that don't use their turn signals.

First job: Working for my dad as a plumber's helper.

Worst job: Waiting tables in a Chinese restaurant while in college. I was the only guy there who didn't speak the language. Even the other Caucasians communicated in Chinese.

Hobbies: Radio teletype and skiing.

Favorite restaurant: Locks Pointe Restaurant at Great Bridge, Chesapeake and Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que in Williamsburg.

What do you like most about Norfolk? The people here are really nice.

What do you like least about Norfolk? The traffic. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by RICHARD DUNSTON

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