Jim Dial was F.Y.I.'s stuffy anchorman, a newsman for 25 years who had, remarkably, never developed any sense of humor. Frank Fontana was the show's investigative reporter and Murphy's closest friend. New to the F.Y.I. staff was Corky Sherwood, a perky former Miss America. She knew nothing about journalism and idolized Murphy, who found her cheerleader personality a bit hard to take. Miles Silverberg was the executive producer, an enthusiastic but neurotic young man who was not always comfortable or effective in controlling the program's staff. The Local hangout was Phils, a neighborhood bar whose fatherly owner was always willing to listen and offer advice. He knew everything that went on in Washington. And then there was Eldin, the eccentric house painter, he had been working on Murphy's town- house from the time the series premiered. He was also an aspiring artist. Even after he sold one of his paintings for one million dollars, he continued to work on Murphy's place.

There were a number of running gags on Murphy Brown. For the first two seasons there was no regular theme, each episode opened with a different Motown song whose title or lyrics related to the storyline to follow. Murphy had a problem holding on to secretaries. She went through twenty of them in the first season alone.