A Big Company Deserves A Real Thank You!

Today marks the final business day for Burrelles, the 130-year-old press clipping service that delivered newspaper and magazine articles to every industry, assisting countless partners over the decades. Both I and my media monitoring services have greatly benefited from a relationship with Burrelles that dates back to before I was born.

I also write this article to express my gratitude to the entire staff and family of Burrelles for being exceptional partners over the years. Their team has always been kind, helpful, and professional. Although Burrelles will officially pass into history after June 30, they should be remembered for their significant role in defining the media monitoring industry in North America and around the world. I wish I could thank all that have helped me over the years, people who also became friends. Some of those names include Bob, Jim, Cathy, Chaz, Jim French, Art, Johna, Rich, Sue, Becky, Tressa, and many more.

Recently, I penned an article for the FIBEP newsletter titled "Press Clippings, Families, and A Green Bicycle." FIBEP is the global media monitoring trade association, of which Burrelles has been a longstanding member. I have included that article below.

For context, this image features a letter written by Bob Waggoner, Burrelles' longtime CEO and Board Chairman, after attending a meeting of the North American Conference of Press Clipping Services (NACPCS) in 1983. This event was hosted by my father, Jim Murphy, and our family press clipping service, Universal Press Clipping Bureau, in Omaha, Nebraska. It was at this event that I first met Bob Waggoner and many other families, founders, and executives of the press clipping industry. This dated letter is important because it creates the point in time when the Green Bicycle was relevant to my media monitoring journey. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Press Clippings, Families, and a Green Bicycle

June has brought continued progress on our key initiatives, enhancing member value, advancing our Copyright & Licensing initiatives, and planning for an outstanding WMIC in Cyprus. I am deeply grateful for the hard work and dedication of our FIBEP Board members, staff, and volunteer commission members. However, alongside our great progress, we received news marking the end of an era for one of our oldest members.

Earlier this month, Burrelles announced they would cease press clipping operations on June 30th. For me, this is particularly poignant news, as I have been closely connected to the families of this company since I was old enough to read a newspaper.

As a child, my father, Jim Murphy, who owned and operated Universal Press Clipping Bureau, would bring our family to industry meetings. There, I met members of the Waggoner, French, and Wynne families as they built and merged the largest press clipping services in the United States. Many of you have known and worked with these individuals over the years, and I am sure you share my sense of loss as they exit the industry.

While press clippings have declined in prominence, they still hold great value for clients who need them. Ironically, much of the online and social media content links back to traditional media outlets.

Families played a crucial role in the founding and growth of the media monitoring industry, and my journey has mirrored that of the Waggoners, Wynnes, Frenchs, and many others who have carried these businesses forward. I feel deeply honored and humbled to be the President of the last nationwide clipping service in the United States. But what about the green bicycle?

When my father hosted the North American Conference of Press Clipping Services in Omaha, Nebraska, there was a grand reception at a hotel near our home. My father encouraged me to attend the reception to introduce myself to the industry leaders who had come to town. As a 14-year-old unable to drive, I decided to ride my green Schwinn 10-speed bicycle to the event.

Murphy's Law had a different plan for me that evening. After dressing appropriately and cleaning up, I crashed my bike just minutes away from the NACPCS reception. Despite this, I managed to stop the bleeding, clean most of the dirt off my pants, and hide my green bicycle in the bushes outside the hotel. That evening I went on to meet Bob Waggoner, from Burrelles, for the first time. In my mind, I made a great impression on these captains of our industry,?although?they may have thought of me differently. And now you know the rest of the story about my green bicycle.

Cheers to Burrelles and the families that built a 130-year dynasty.