Channel 9 Eyewitness News Announces Anchor Change

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — takes over primary anchor duties at

Channel 9 Eyewitness News on WSOC-TV

. Effective August 23 Miller will co-anchor

Eyewitness News at 5pm, 6pm and 11pm with Erica Bryant

and

Eyewitness News at 5:30pm with Natalie Pasquarella

. He currently co-anchors the 5:30pm newscast with Pasquarella and does extensive reporting.

"I am very excited about the opportunity ahead of me", Miller says, "Ever since I started working here, I have been impressed with Channel 9's commitment to this community and the news we deliver every day. I am so proud to be part of this hardworking team that's always striving for excellence and I look forward to being part of that even more. The Charlotte community continues to be a great home for me and I am looking forward to also growing within our community."

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"Ever since I started working here, I have been impressed with Channel 9's commitment to this community and the news we deliver every day. I am so proud to be part of this hardworking team that's always striving for excellence and I look forward to being part of that even more. The Charlotte community continues to be a great home for me and I am looking forward to also growing within our community."

- Blair Miller

Miller's move comes as anchor Vince Coakley announces his departure from Channel 9 after nearly 18 years at the station. Working through various positions, Coakley became co-anchor of Eyewitness News at 5pm, 6pm and 11pm starting in 2005.

"This season of reporting and anchoring the news has run its course. It has been positive and meaningful for me, says Coakley. "As I leave, I can't think of anyone more deserving of the position than Blair Miller. Blair is a talented anchor and journalist… a hard worker, who is genuine in how he relates to people. I wish him as well as everyone at Channel 9 the very best.

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"This season of reporting and anchoring the news has run its course. It has been positive and meaningful for me. As I leave, I can't think of anyone more deserving of the position than Blair Miller. Blair is a talented anchor and journalist… a hard worker, who is genuine in how he relates to people. I wish him as well as everyone at Channel 9 the very best."

- Vince Coakley

Miller started his career with Eyewitness News in 2002 as a weekend anchor. He has since been a part of covering nearly every major news story that has happened. His work includes extensive field reporting when 2 Charlotte Mecklenburg Police officers were killed, also anchoring coverage of the funerals in Charlotte. When US Airways Express Flight 5481 crashed at Charlotte-Douglas Airport he was part of Channel 9's day-long breaking news coverage, spending nearly 8 hours in Chopper 9, reporting from the crash site. Miller was also a key part of coverage of the Ice Storm in 2004, reporting during the storm and also anchoring continuous coverage.

When the Carolina Panthers made their run to the Super Bowl in 2004, Miller anchored Channel 9 coverage from the NFC Championship game in Philadelphia and brought viewers weeklong coverage from the site of the Super Bowl in Houston, TX.

Also, Miller traveled to the North Carolina mountains to cover the capture of fugitive bomber Eric Rudolph. He has also reported on numerous investigations that have uncovered questionable government spending and wrongdoing.

Miller has been honored by NASCAR for his coverage of motorsports in Charlotte and received journalism's prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting on the Ice Storm.

Miller previously worked at WCBD in Charleston, SC. He's a graduate of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.

WSOC