Jonathan B. Murray
Widely credited with inventing the modern reality television genre, Jonathan B. Murray has had a tremendous effect on television and movie audiences all over the world. After graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism, Murray began his career in local TV news and programming across the U.S. In 1987, he and business partner Mary-Ellis Bunim combined her knowledge of scripted television production with his news and documentary experience to form Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP). The pair brought an unprecedented idea for an unscripted drama series to MTV executives over breakfast in 1991. MTV bought the show before lunchtime, and the landmark success of BMP was underway was underway with the production of The Real World. The innovative series broke all the rules of television production and quickly became part of the cultural DNA of young people the world over, continuing to garner audiences after many seasons.
A True Pioneer
Since the launch of The Real World, Murray has been behind some of televisions most popular unscripted programs, including Born This Way, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Total Divas, Project Runway, The Challenge, The Simple Life, Road Rules and Starting Over. He has served as an executive producer on the company’s documentaries which include: Autism: The Musical, Valentine Road, and They Call Us Monsters. In 2010, BMP was purchased by Banijay entertainment, opening its programs to an international market. Murray stepped down as chairman in April 2015, moving into a new role as the company’s executive consultant, a creative force to develop series and documentary passion projects, and oversee some of the company’s longest running series. Today, Murray is BMP’s Executive Consultant, keeping a creative capacity to develop series and documentary passion projects, as well as oversee some of the company’s longest-running series.
“I shaped my career in news, documentaries and television before creating Bunim/Murray Productions. The establishment of this new documentary journalism program is my way of helping to ensure that we’ve prepared the media and entertainment industry’s future documentary film makers to do great work, a goal that I share with MU.”
In March 2007, Bunim/Murray launched BMP Films. The company’s first film, Autism: The Musical, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2007 with broad praise and audience awards at major film festivals across the country. The film premiered on HBO in March 2008 and won two Emmys®. BMP Films’ Valentine Road was an official selection in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. It was also awarded a prestigious Ford Foundation Grant for reducing poverty and injustice; promoting democratic values; and advancing human knowledge, creativity and achievement. The documentary premiered on HBO in October 2013.
Giving Back
In February 2014, Murray announced a gift of $6.7 million to found a documentary journalism program at the Missouri School of Journalism. It was at the time the the largest gift by an individual in the school’s history. Of the gift, Murray said, “It’s an honor for me to give back to the University of Missouri, an institution that helped build my journalistic foundation, upon which I shaped my career in news, documentaries, and television before creating Bunim/Murray Productions. The establishment of this new documentary journalism program is my way of helping to ensure that we’ve prepared the media and entertainment industry’s future documentary filmmakers to do great work, a goal that I share with MU.”