reginald e. murphy

Phone: (703) 854-5687
Fax: (202) 994-5806
E-mail: rmurphy@gannett.com
Office: MPA 511

Expertise
Management, Marketing and Consumer research

Courses Taught
SMPA 175, Media Management

Background
Murphy is General Manager/Audience for Gannett Co, Inc.’s Digital Division. In this role he leverages his consumer and marketing research expertise to ensure a superior user experience against all of Gannett’s digital products, and helps define audience segments desired by local, national, and global advertisers. He integrates research on current and next-stage technologies to enhance the design and usability of all current and new products. Further, Murphy utilizes the human-centered approach to design and innovation developed by global design consultant, IDEO, to inspire the generation of ideas to prototype and test with consumers. He works with Digital’s design, content, business strategy, and technology teams to uncover the “jobs to be done” by consumers and experiments with solutions that meets consumers’ needs as well as generate new revenue opportunities for the company.

Murphy is also responsible for managing a team of research managers and analysts who use a variety of research methods to understand various audience targets that Gannett is exploring to offer new products and services. He works on company-wide initiatives with Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovation and serves as a facilitator in the training of company staff and business partners in IDEO’s human-centered design process.

In his previous position as Director of Research Services, Murphy oversaw consumer research initiatives for Gannett’s 80+ daily newspapers and nearly 1,000 non-daily publications and web sites.

Murphy joined Gannett in 2000 as Market Research Manager with USA TODAY. He managed a staff of analysts responsible for providing strategic analysis to sales personnel and senior management through comprehensive understanding of competitive advertising, circulation, marketing, online and editorial environments.

Prior to Gannett, Murphy worked as a Research Analyst with Iowa based research and consulting firm, Frank N. Magid Associates. There he managed a number of market research and consumer insights projects with a variety of clients in the US and abroad, including national television networks and affiliates, WorldNow, United Airlines, and AXN Cable Television Network (Singapore). 

Education
Murphy holds a M.S. and Ph.D. in Communications from The University of Tennessee and a B.S. in History from Appalachian State University.