Lou Murray

Inducted 1996

Deceased 

Lou Murray began his radio career in the late 1930s as an engineer with WAZL in Hazleton. He later worked for NBC radio in New York as a member of the dramatic staff of the Philip Morris Playhouse. In 1940, he joined the network operations staff of the Columbia Broadcasting System.  As a studio engineer for CBS, he was associated with many of the popular network shows, including Orson Welles' Mercury Theater on the Air, the Fred Allen Show, and the Lucky Strike Hit Parade.  In addition to being an engineer at CBS, Murray also wrote for shows.

In 1946, he returned to Pennsylvania to work for WPAM, AM-FM, Pottsville, as an on air personality and as general manager.  He wrote a weekly drama for the station and used local amateur talent for the actors.  In 1956, he founded the Trans-Audio group, when he purchased WRTA, Altoona, and put WMBT, Shenandoah, on the air.  He eventually owned seven radio stations. He retired from active broadcasting in 1986.

Murray was an outstanding editorialist who fought local government corruption. He was awarded a Sigma Delta Chi national award in 1964 for his "unusually outspoken" radio editorials concerning a local government official's use of city property for personal gain.
The official was later indicted.  Judges deemed the editorials outstanding for their angry indignation at municipal corruption.  Murray's was the first Sigma Delta Chi award given for a radio editorial. 

Murray enjoyed a reputation as an effective behind-the-scenes political strategist.  He spent many hours debating politics with party activists and radio colleagues at the Penn Alto Hotel in Altoona.

Murray established a scholarship fund at Penn State's College of Communications.  He was honored with a Professorship of Radio at Penn State's 1989 convocation. He served as joint board chairman of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters in 1976 and president of the Pennsylvania AP Broadcasters Association in 1967.  PAB named him Broadcaster of the Year in 1988.

Murray served as president of the Blair County Historical Society. He participated on the Boards of the Altoona Free Public Library, the Salvation Army, Junior Achievement and Big Brothers of Blair County.