Paul Miller, A Journalism Icon - September marks the 100th anniversary of Miller's birth

Wednesday, September 6, 2006

Bonnie Cain
Coordinator, Library Communications
(405) 744-7331
 lib-pub@okstate.edu

From traditional American roots Paul Miller rose to a position of international influence in both the Gannett Corporation and Associated Press. His decades of leadership have provided a legacy in the realms of journalism that will endure for generations.

Miller's own experiences in the newspaper world began in communities in Oklahoma. While still in high school, he reported for the Pawhuska Daily Journal and even served briefly as city editor. During college, he worked for the Daily Oklahoman as well as on student newspapers at the University of Oklahoma and at Oklahoma A&M College, from which he graduated in 1931 after haven taken a year out to be publisher and reporter for yet another newspaper, the Okemah Daily Leader.

As president and chief executive officer of the Gannett Corporation from 1957 to 1978, and as president and chairman of Associated Press from 1963 to 1977, Miller traveled widely, reporting on current events as well as political, social and cultural aspects of the countries visited. He met with presidents and other world leaders and served as the national spokesman on journalistic affairs. In the latter activity, he encouraged journalism to grow and keep up with changes in society as well as with developing technologies and to preserve its integrity. Miller maintained that "Our actions must be determined not by mere compliance with state or federal law, not by public attitudes, but on the basis of doing the right thing."

The OSU Library is proud to house the Paul Miller Papers. The collection consists of general correspondence, speeches, columns and photographs of Miller, as well as similar material and memorabilia related to Associated Press, the Gannett Corporation and other newspaper, radio and television concerns with which Miller was involved. In addition to providing biographical information on Miller and other leaders of the Gannett Group, the material in this collection helps to document four decades of world affairs and developments in journalism and broadcasting.

September 2006 marks the 100th anniversary of Miller’s birth. In recognition, the OSU Library hosts a joint celebration of the reopening of the Paul Miller Room in the Edmon Low Library and Constitution Day.

The Paul Miller Room reopening ceremony will be held September 15 at 10 am on the second floor of the Edmon Low Library. OSU’s official Constitution Day event follows at 11 am in the Peggy V. Helmerich Browsing Room. In honor of Miller’s birthday, Constitution Day will feature Gregory E. Favre, Distinguished Fellow in Journalism Values at the Poynter Institute. He will speak on freedom of the press. Both events are free and open to the public