Morgan Murphy Media announces three C-suite promotions

Morgan Murphy Media, which owns 18 stations in eight markets, has promoted three of its executive team.

The new roles, announced Aug. 12, 2025, are effective immediately.

Chris Cornelius has been named chief operating officer. Cornelius joined Morgan Murphy Media in 2014 as  vice president of business development and will now be responsible for driving operational excellence with a specific focus on revenue growth and network and distribution relationships. Cornelius is a media executive with experience in various senior broadcasting leadership roles, including as president and COO of Barrington Broadcasting from 2003 to 2013.

Colin Benedict has been promoted to chief innovation officer. Benedict has been with the company since 1998 in news and management roles, including the past seven years as vice president of news. In this new role, Benedict will serve as a cross-functional strategist working on identifying, developing, and scaling forward thinking ideas and solutions that position the company for future relevance and growth. He will continue with direct oversight of local stations’ news and marketing efforts.

Morgan Murphy has also promoted Neal Oberg to chief digital officer and will continue to lead the company’s digital efforts. Oberg has been with Morgan Murphy Media since 1997 in various digital leadership roles, including most recently as vice president of digital for the company. In his capacity, he drives audience and revenue growth in this critical area.

“Chris, Colin and Neal’s promotions recognize their exceptional contributions and position us perfectly for the challenges and opportunities ahead,” said Morgan Murphy Media President and CEO, Brian Burns, in a statement. “These strategic appointments reflect our commitment to operational excellence, innovation and digital growth as we continue to evolve in the changing media landscape.” The three executives have a combined total of more than 65 years of experience with Morgan Murphy Media.

Morgan Murphy owns and operates stations in Missouri, Kansas, Michigan, Washington, Texas and Wisconsin markets. It also operates KVEW in Kennewick, Washington, for Sullivan’s Landing LLC.

The executive moves come after Elizabeth Murphy Burns, who had been the president and CEO of the family-owned company for 43 years, stepped down in March 2025. She moved into a board chair position but was no longer involved in day-to-day operations. 

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Elizabeth Murphy Burns died about a month later at age 79. The company said at the time that she had been living “with a few different ailments” in recent years.

Brian Burns, who is Elizabeth Murphy Burns’ stepson, took over the president and CEO role, and this C-suite refresh is one of the first significant moves he has made since moving into the role.