Pat Miller Returns, but only Pat Miller

Today is the day that Pat Miller returns to the WOWO 1190 (and now on 92.-3fm) in his familiar 3 to 6 pm time slot. 

Hooray. 

Mr. Miller is a true Fort Wayne treasure, and his return to the airwaves, from which he was once banished, is cause for celebration. It is also a moment for us to reflect. 

While Mr. Miller represents a specific political viewpoint, no one can fault him for always treating his listeners, callers and advertisers with anything but respect. His ability to talk about the local community is remarkable. One only has to go back a year and recall his broadcasts about Aliahana Lemmon and how that story affected the community. There is no doubt that Mr. Miller's heart was in his work those days, and his questions, frustrations, and grief mirrored what most of Fort Wayne was feeling at the time. 

While we all celebrate, we also must remember those who will not be returning to their jobs at WOWO and the other Federated Media properties. The backlash of Mr. Miller's removal, his replacement by a hate-filled, megalomaniac, bent on destroying WOWO, as well as the resulting advertiser and listener fallout, cost at least 12 employees their jobs. 

While no one will shed a tear for Gregg 'hacksaw' Henson and the empty-suited idiots who hired him, the others who are not returning deserve to be remembered. Steve Brelsford, a dedicated and gifted production person of 34 years lost his job through no actions of his own. The skilled Zack Skyler, who toiled at the WMEE microphone doing mornings, afternoons and anything else his bosses asked was also let go. There are others, who's names you won't recognize, they, too need to be remembered. 

So, as we celebrate Mr. Miller's return, for more than a few, it's a hollow victory at best.