Miller to be inducted to Broadcasting Hall of Fame

Published 11:13 am Friday, October 26, 2012

Not many people can say they share a hallway with the likes of Soupy Sales, Chuck Woolery and Jule “Mr. Cartoon” Huffman, but after Saturday, Ironton’s own JB Miller can proudly claim that accomplishment.

The West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame will honor Miller and 11 others with their own spot in the hall Saturday at an invitation-only ceremony at the Museum of Radio and Technology.

Tom Resler, chairman of the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame, said the goal, when choosing inductees from the nominations, is to choose someone with an outstanding career and who has had a great impact on the state of West Virginia.

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“(Miller) is a person who has been in broadcasting for 35 years. His “Miller in the Morning” show is well-known in the Huntington area,” Resler said. He added that Miller’s efforts in community service also made him stand out among the nominations.

“He’s very community minded,” Resler said. He noted that Miller rallied support for flood victims in Clarksburg, W.Va., gathered props from We Are Marshall to be signed and auctioned off for charity and collected toilet paper for troops overseas, to name a few of his charitable causes.

“They complained the toilet paper was so bad,” Miller said about the troops during their time away from home. He said they managed to fill an 18-wheel semi truck with toilet paper, a drive appropriately named Operation Two-Ply.

“I’ve had an opportunity to do so much,” Miller said, which is one of the things he loves most about his job as a broadcaster.

Miller said he started practicing for a career in radio from his parents’ basement when he was just 8 years old, using a wireless mike.

At just 15, he began a part-time job in radio and has been with it ever since, other than an unwanted one-year break.

“I was part of a budget cut,” Miller said. He switched his focus to charities, and landed a job with Huntington Area Habitat for Humanity as manager of the company’s ReStore.

While loving his work with Habitat for Humanity, he missed radio, and when the opportunity presented itself, Miller took a job with Big Buck Country 101.5. But he didn’t want to give up his work with Habitat, so he continues with both.

“I put in a good 12 hours each day,” Miller said. “I wake up each day at 4:30 a.m. and not only am I glad to be alive, but to have two jobs that I love. I have the best of both worlds.”

Miller and his wife Sandra now live in Ashland, Ky. He said Sandra is very supportive of his decision to continue with two jobs.

“There’s a lot to be said about that,” Miller said.

Miller’s older brother, Bob Miller who is currently doing radio in Oregon, is also in the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame.