William Burke Miller
Encyclopedia
William Burke "Skeets" Miller (c. 1903 – December 29, 1983) was a newspaper
and radio
reporter who first came to prominence with his on site reporting of the attempted rescue of caver
Floyd Collins
for Louisville's
Courier-Journal, for which he received a Pulitzer Prize
on May 4, 1926. In addition to covering the story, Miller became an unlikely participant in the rescue attempts, and was later credited by one of Collins' family members as having done as much or more than anyone to attempt to rescue Collins.
In 1927 he began writing for the New York Morning World, then moved to WJAC and NBC
when it was founded, in charge of special events programming. Due to Miller's creative on-the-spot coverage (including the first live transmission from a parachute jump) Robert Ripley
designated him "the bravest man in radio." He later became eastern program manager for NBC.
In 1954, Miller returned to the Mammoth Cave area as a radio journalist, entering Collins' Crystal Cave to cover the famed "C-3" expedition, which involved a large group of explorers spending an entire week underground in an attempt to determine the extent of the cave.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
reporter who first came to prominence with his on site reporting of the attempted rescue of caver
Caving
Caving—also occasionally known as spelunking in the United States and potholing in the United Kingdom—is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems...
Floyd Collins
Floyd Collins
William Floyd Collins was a celebrated pioneer cave explorer in central Kentucky, an area that is the location of hundreds of miles of interconnected caves, including the Mammoth Cave National Park...
for Louisville's
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
Courier-Journal, for which he received a 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...
on May 4, 1926. In addition to covering the story, Miller became an unlikely participant in the rescue attempts, and was later credited by one of Collins' family members as having done as much or more than anyone to attempt to rescue Collins.
In 1927 he began writing for the New York Morning World, then moved to WJAC and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
when it was founded, in charge of special events programming. Due to Miller's creative on-the-spot coverage (including the first live transmission from a parachute jump) Robert Ripley
Robert Ripley
Robert LeRoy Ripley was an American cartoonist, entrepreneur and amateur anthropologist, who created the world famous Ripley's Believe It or Not! newspaper panel series, radio show, and television show which feature odd 'facts' from around the world.Subjects covered in Ripley's cartoons and text...
designated him "the bravest man in radio." He later became eastern program manager for NBC.
In 1954, Miller returned to the Mammoth Cave area as a radio journalist, entering Collins' Crystal Cave to cover the famed "C-3" expedition, which involved a large group of explorers spending an entire week underground in an attempt to determine the extent of the cave.