Michael Miller Named Publisher of 'Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal'

By: The publisher of the Morning News in Florence (S.C.), Michael J. Miller, has been named to replace Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal president and publisher Jonathan H. Witherspoon, who is retiring after 43 years with the Journal.

Miller will begin as vice president and associate publisher Jan. 1 and will succeed Witherspoon in June.

"The time table in this transition allows me to take part in the search to fill the publisher's position here in Florence," said Miller, who has been the Morning News publisher since 1999. "This advance timing is critical to the community and the newspaper. After seven years of working and living in the Florence area, I truly have mixed feelings about the opportunity in Winston-Salem."

Miller began his newspaper career in 1973 at the New Albany (Ind.) Tribune. He became advertising manager at the Atchison (Kan.) Globe in 1975 and later held ad director positions with Thomson Newspapers in Missouri, Alabama and Ohio.

In 1995, he was named publisher of the Altoona (Penn.) Mirror. Before joining the Morning News, he was publisher of the Tribune Star in Terre Haute, Ind.

Both the Morning News and the Journal are owned by Richmond, Va.-based Media General.

"Mike Miller is a proven newspaper veteran who will provide valuable leadership as we continue to be the leading source of news and information in the Winston-Salem market," said H. Graham Woodlief, president of Media General's Publishing Division. "Mike has been a leader in multimedia and will further advance the Journal's presence in print and online."

Miller just completed a term as chairman of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.