John Miller, 2008 winner
Freelance reporter John Miller, who worked with VOA’s Central News Division and a Zimbabwean colleague, received the award for their series about life in Zimbabwe. David Borgida, a Supervising Editor who nominated the journalists, said, “The global audience had seen little of what has been going on [in Zimbabwe] because the government controls what is seen and heard. This series provided that rare glimpse into real life in Zimbabwe.”
A distinguished career
Miller served as news director for WFAA from 1989 to 1999. During his tenure as News Director and Executive News Director at WFAA, the station was honored with two Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Awards, and a Peabody Award.
During the decade of the nineties, WFAA, Belo Corporation’s flagship station, maintained an unbeaten ratings record in the competitive Dallas-Fort Worth market, placing first in total audience in every evening newscast during every February, May and November rating period.
After leaving WFAA in August 1999, Miller was promoted to Director of News/Television Group for Belo. As one of the two Directors of News for Belo, Miller worked directly with news directors at Belo’s television stations and cable news networks.
In 2002, Miller was recruited by CBS to lead the news department at the Dallas-Fort Worth owned station, KTVT. During Miller’s year at the station, CBS11 compiled a ratings record that made it the fastest-growing of all the CBS major-market owned stations.
Miller began his 35-year career in broadcast journalism as a photographer at WBAP-TV (now KXAS) in Fort Worth. He served as chief photographer and newscast producer at the NBC affiliate from 1967 to 1980.
From 2002 to 2007, he was Professor of Journalism at Texas Christian University. He started TCU News Now, a weekly newscast. In 2004, the Society of Professional Journalists awarded TCU News New the national winner in the television non-daily newscast.
Through his church, Miller has produced many videos of the mission trips to the Navajo Nation, and videos of the 2013 and 2015 South Africa mission trips. Miller freelances for the local school district, producing special events, and special interest videos.