By Shawn Williams
To the delight of many listeners in the Dallas/Ft. Worth radio market, Skip Murphy, Nanette Lee, Wig, Sam Putney and Chris Arnold are together again. After dominating local airwaves and ranking #1 in morning drive for nearly a decade, K104 dismantled the popular show member by member. But thanks to DFWiRadio.com, fans will once again be able to laugh their way to work with Skip Murphy and Company (SMAC).
Skip Murphy himself may be more anxious than anyone in anticipation of the show’s April 25th launch. “Man I’m excited,” said Murphy in a recent interview with Dallas South News. He said it only took about a month to get the team back in the studio after being approached by DFWiRadio and The Marketing Collaborative.
Murphy says the internet format offers a chance to reach new audiences in new ways. “When you see the technology being advertised on T.V., you realized this will be the wave of the future,” says Murphy. He said after he an the rest of SMAC did extensive research, they felt internet radio was the right move at the right time.
Once the crew was back in studio together, Murphy said it was as if they had never been apart. “It was magic,” said Murphy, “I’ve always thought we had a God blessed chemistry.”
For those who listened to “Skip Murphy and the Home Team” in its previous version, they will find a certain familiarity once SMAC returns at the end of the month. But Murphy says they will use social media to reach out to their audience in new ways. “Our brand is recognizable but it’s complimented by our fan base,” Murphy said.
Murphy spoke more about the internet platform and how it will allow SMAC to push boundaries in ways that just weren’t possible on terrestrial radio. “Trying to influence a radio station is tough,” said Murphy, “there are so many restrictions to commercial radio.” After years in the industry, Murphy says he and his colleagues have a good idea of what works and what doesn’t. “We want to be able to do radio our way,” he said.
Though the show will be family oriented and community based, they will be able to reach a broader audience through the worldwide web. For instance, someone who is from North Texas and has moved to some other area will be able to listen to Skip Murphy and Company back home. The same could be said for those serving in the military who can now be reconnected to Dallas through the show.
In the end, Murhpy is most inspired by the fans who they have heard from over the years since the show left the air. “They missed us as a team,” he said. “(Fans) said would love to see us bring back some memories.”
Skip, Nannette, Wig, Chris and Sam also hope to make some new memories when their show debuts on DFWiRadio.com April 25th from 9-11 AM CST. You can find out how to listen on your computer or on your phone by visiting their website. Look for more interviews from other members of the crew in the days to come.
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