One of America’s Best News Anchors Dies
If you read this blog from time to time, you know that I spent a number of years in Tennessee, including six in Nashville. During the time I was there, the number one, most respected, highest rated local news anchorman was Dan Miller. He was a legend, he was unbeatable (I worked for the competition at the CBS affiliate in Nashville, Dan was at the NBC station) and, most maddening of all, he deserved to be.. he was really, really good; a master of the art of talking WITH viewers about the news, instead of shouting it AT them. He was an important early influence on me.
Dan Miller died suddenly this week at the age of 67. The circumstances of his death will only add to his legend. He and two longtime friends from the Nashville station were in Augusta, Georgia, his hometown, to watch some practice rounds before the Masters golf tournament. Late Wednesday night, he left with one of his buddies for a stroll through his old neighborhood where he grew up. While walking near his childhood home, he suddenly had a heart attack and died. He went home, in every respect.
I won’t go on much more, because I realize very few of you in the New York City area will have any idea who I’m talking about. Fact is, I think I only met Dan once, during my years in Nashville. But this is my modest tribute to a good man who helped show me how a person can do this TV news thing with dignity.
Here’s a link to a story in the Nashville Tennessean that will give you some idea of the impact he had on Nashville, and how beloved he was there by viewers and colleagues. I hope some day I’m regarded in a similar way by the people I’ve brought the news to over the years.
Comments: 12
That was a lovely tribute to a good news man from a great news man. Well done Jim I know of whom you speak.
I don't know who he is, but I guess he was well loved in his neck of the woods.
You are a great credit to your mentor. Keep up the good work.
Lizanne,
His neck of the woods adored and trusted him, thank you very much. You can't often say that about a news anchor. We feel like a part of our family has gone. He touched people across the nation. When the major competition in town gives a loving tribute to you on their news report, it is really something. The governor of the state referred to him as the Walter Cronkite of Nashville (although I have the distinct feeling you have no idea who HE is). I guess I am going off but I found that post really disrespectful. I AM, however, very happy the blog was so beautifully written. As Lemmert said, you are a great credit to your mentor. Keep it going!
now, Jimbo, you're just making this fun.
first off, no one cares about your mentor here, save that krap for your memoirs, seriously. unless of course you want to keep reaching that same group of nine web-savvy 60-yr-olds who make ZERO difference in this world because they'll be dead soon.
Jimbo, as i read all your posts, my question to you and you don't even have to answer, just think about it, dude, you have a real vantage point & ability to identify & decry a lot of social & governmental, etc. injustices, so why do you take the easy shots? Smoking tax? April fools? Metallica? Barstools? PETA? Consensus positions, safe commentary... wow, you're outraged & the same thing we all are, ooo how cutting edge..
Seriously, Jimbo, you're blog is a cool thing, just use it to champion "real" causes here in NYC, like Howard does for the "little" guy, maybe you should try to hook up a whole bunch of "little" guys by say, not letting the NYPD get away with brutality, or be the one guy who challenges the illegal searches of literally hundreds of thousands of black & minority NYers. How about going after the local players in this massive Fed bail-out & keepin them honest for us? You like music, how about really nailing all the collusion going on in the ticket biz? You beat the drum for autism, kudos, but now try something that isn't in your wheelhouse and more importantly isn't paying to sponsor something on your air.
Now, you wanna talk about making your mentor proud. Step outside yourself, Jim, & actually BE a leader & stop wasting this valuable space & your valuable talent on personal stuff that really, no one will ever remember or care about past your sycophantic nine.
the voice
Ah..."Jimbo"...is see that you have to deal with people who are full of shit too. Hard to take someone seriously who hides behind "the voice".
I wasn't even trying to be disrespectful, I just don't know who the man is~~~~~~I think you may be too sensitive on this matter.
I live in Nashville and came across your blog after doing a Google search for news stories about Dan Miller. Thank you for writing about him. Dan Miller was beloved here in Nashville and he deserved his beloved status. He was such an intelligent, humorous, kind and caring man.
Dan Miller would be proud that you paid tribute to him in your blog. He had a blog himself and this is exactly the kind of thing he would do. He would stop and write to pay his respects at the passing of wonderful men and women who touched many lives.
Thank you again.
harder to take seriously some guy calling himself "melanie" on the interweb... huh, "Jimbo..."
plus, you went and made Lizanne cry... now that wasn't very nice.
Lizanne,
I am sure you weren't but that is how it came across. And actually, he was a lot better known than you realize. For many years he held the distinction of being the most popular local news anchor in the NATION. That is no small feat. You ought to check out the condolences left on the WSMV website to see just how he affected people. I haven't seen that reaction for any other local newscaster who passed away ever. But I do agree with you...I am probably being sensitive!
Dan Miller's career in Nashville sandwiched a stint in Los Angeles. He anchored the Southern California Evening News, on KCBS, and also appeared alongside Pat Sajak on his latenight show during the late 1980s.
I appreciated your comments. I live in Kentucky and agree with most that Dan Miller made a huge impact beyond Nashville not to mention TV News in this Nation. As far as the ugly comments that were left by someone--we still have wood sheds in the South. You might consider them in New York.