Paul Miller (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Paul Miller was an American newspaper executive and journalist
. He headed the Gannett
newspaper chain from 1957 to 1973. Miller also served as the top official of the Associated Press
from 1963 to 1977.
; his father later moved the family to Oklahoma
. At age 15, Miller won a national contest for student editorial writing. While still in high school, he went to work as a reporter for the Pawhuska
Daily Journal and served for a time as the paper's city editor before starting college. He attended Oklahoma A&M College (now Oklahoma State University
) for two years, then left to edit the Daily Leader in Okemah, Oklahoma
. He moved on to work for the Oklahoma Publishing Company (publisher of The Oklahoman
) in Oklahoma City
, took classes at the University of Oklahoma
, and ultimately returned to Oklahoma A&M where he received his degree in 1931.
In 1932 Miller went to work for the Associated Press
in Columbus, Ohio
, where he met and married Louise Johnson, an editor for the Columbus Journal
. He became head of the AP's Washington, D.C. bureau in 1942.
. He served as executive assistant to company founder Frank Gannett
for 10 years, and was also editor and publisher of Gannett's Rochester newspapers, the Times-Union
and the Democrat and Chronicle
.
Miller succeeded Frank Gannett as president and CEO of the company in 1957. At that time, the Gannett chain had 19 daily newspapers in 4 states. Under Miller's leadership the company grew from a regional to a national chain. By 1970, when Miller became chairman of the company (giving up the president's position to his executive vice president, Al Neuharth), the Gannett chain had 53 daily newspapers in 16 states and Guam
. Like Frank Gannett before him, Miller followed a strategy of acquiring newspapers in cities and situations where the company would face minimal competition.
In 1963, under Miller's administration, Gannett won a special Pulitzer Prize
(the first awarded to a newspaper group) for "The Road to Integration", a series of stories on the positive aspects of racial integration
.
In 1973 Neuharth ousted Miller from his position as CEO of Gannett. A chapter of Neuharth's autobiography, Confessions of an S.O.B., describes how Neuharth accomplished this. Miller remained chairman of Gannett until 1978.
He was the first AP employee to serve on its board and the first to lead the organization. In 1972 Miller led an AP delegation to China to negotiate a news exchange agreement with the news agency then known as Hsinhua
; this was the first news link in the People's Republic of China
for an American news organization in 22 years. Miller's stories about this trip became a 1972 booklet, China Opens the Door published by Gannett.
. At the time of Miller's death, Gannett was the nation's largest newspaper group, with 82 daily newspapers and a total circulation of 6.4 million.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He headed the Gannett
Gannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
newspaper chain from 1957 to 1973. Miller also served as the top official of the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
from 1963 to 1977.
Early years
Miller was born in Diamond, MissouriDiamond, Missouri
Diamond is a city in Newton County, Missouri, United States near Joplin, Missouri. The population was 902 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
; his father later moved the family to Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. At age 15, Miller won a national contest for student editorial writing. While still in high school, he went to work as a reporter for the Pawhuska
Pawhuska, Oklahoma
Pawhuska is a city in and the county seat of Osage County, Oklahoma, United States, and the capital of the Osage Nation. The population was 3,589 at the 2010 census, a decline of 1.2 percent from 3,629 at the 2000 census. The ZIP Code for the city is 74056...
Daily Journal and served for a time as the paper's city editor before starting college. He attended Oklahoma A&M College (now Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater is a land-grant, sun-grant, coeducational public research university located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA. OSU was founded in 1890 under the Morrill Act...
) for two years, then left to edit the Daily Leader in Okemah, Oklahoma
Okemah, Oklahoma
Okemah is a city in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Okfuskee County. It is the birthplace of folk music legend Woody Guthrie. Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, a federally recognized Muscogee Indian tribe, is headquartered in Okemah...
. He moved on to work for the Oklahoma Publishing Company (publisher of The Oklahoman
The Oklahoman
The Oklahoman is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the entire Oklahoma City area.-Ownership:...
) in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, took classes at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, and ultimately returned to Oklahoma A&M where he received his degree in 1931.
In 1932 Miller went to work for the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, where he met and married Louise Johnson, an editor for the Columbus Journal
The Columbus Citizen-Journal
The Columbus Citizen-Journal was a daily morning newspaper in Columbus, Ohio published by the Scripps Howard company. It was formed in 1959 by the merger of The Columbus Citizen and The Ohio State Journal. It shared printing facilities, as well as business, advertising, and circulation staff in a...
. He became head of the AP's Washington, D.C. bureau in 1942.
Gannett Company
In 1947 Miller joined Gannett Company, based in Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. He served as executive assistant to company founder Frank Gannett
Frank Gannett
Frank Ernest Gannett is the founder of Gannett media corporation.-Biography:Gannett was born in South Bristol, New York, United States, graduated from Bolivar High School , Bolivar, NY in 1893, and graduated from Cornell University. At the age of 30, he purchased his first newspaper, the Elmira...
for 10 years, and was also editor and publisher of Gannett's Rochester newspapers, the Times-Union
Rochester Times-Union
The Times-Union was a widely circulated daily newspaper in the greater Rochester, New York area for 79 years. It was published as an afternoon daily counterpart to the morning Democrat and Chronicle under the ownership of Gannett when it ceased operations in 1997...
and the Democrat and Chronicle
Democrat and Chronicle
The Democrat and Chronicle is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in the greater Rochester, New York area. Located at 55 Exchange Boulevard in downtown Rochester, the Democrat and Chronicle operates under the ownership of Gannett. The paper's production facility is located in the town of...
.
Miller succeeded Frank Gannett as president and CEO of the company in 1957. At that time, the Gannett chain had 19 daily newspapers in 4 states. Under Miller's leadership the company grew from a regional to a national chain. By 1970, when Miller became chairman of the company (giving up the president's position to his executive vice president, Al Neuharth), the Gannett chain had 53 daily newspapers in 16 states and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. Like Frank Gannett before him, Miller followed a strategy of acquiring newspapers in cities and situations where the company would face minimal competition.
In 1963, under Miller's administration, Gannett won a special Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
(the first awarded to a newspaper group) for "The Road to Integration", a series of stories on the positive aspects of racial integration
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...
.
In 1973 Neuharth ousted Miller from his position as CEO of Gannett. A chapter of Neuharth's autobiography, Confessions of an S.O.B., describes how Neuharth accomplished this. Miller remained chairman of Gannett until 1978.
Associated Press
Miller was elected to the board of directors of the Associated Press in 1950. and became president of the AP in 1963. His title was changed to chairman in 1972 and he held the position until 1977.He was the first AP employee to serve on its board and the first to lead the organization. In 1972 Miller led an AP delegation to China to negotiate a news exchange agreement with the news agency then known as Hsinhua
Xinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
; this was the first news link in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
for an American news organization in 22 years. Miller's stories about this trip became a 1972 booklet, China Opens the Door published by Gannett.
Later years
In 1976, Oklahoma State University named its journalism department's building after Miller. After suffering a debilitating stroke, Miller died of pneumonia on August 21, 1991, in West Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
. At the time of Miller's death, Gannett was the nation's largest newspaper group, with 82 daily newspapers and a total circulation of 6.4 million.
External links
- The Paul Miller Image Collection at Oklahoma State University Libraries (retrieved September 30, 2009)