Pat
Miles
Pat Miles hit the Twin Cities' television news
scene in 1978 at WCCO, paired with Don Shelby as the
anchor of the weekend news. Within months, she established
herself as the premier female anchor in a market used
to getting the news from commentators wearing trousers
and ties.
Her
blue eyes became her trademark with viewers, but her
intelligence and industry endeared her to colleagues
in the newsroom. She asked smart questions on the air.
She delivered the news with authority. And she more
than held her own with her anchor partners who included
Shelby and Dave Moore.
She
was an anchor with a Master's degree in journalism,
and knowledgeable viewers appreciated her professionalism.
She could "debrief" a colleague on the 5:00p.m.
report with a presence of mind that elicited the telling
details. She demanded good writing from producers and
then read their scripts with appropriate care, concern
and maturity.
Pat
Miles managed to be a force in a newsroom and an active
mother at home, raising two daughters. A desire to spend
more time with her family led her to leave WCCO and
join the news team at KARE. She became Paul Mager' co-anchor
on the early evening news programs.
At
KARE, she expanded her role to include "The Pat
Miles Specials." They included stories about -
and interviews with - notable characters and celebrities
in Minnesota life. She told their stories with a combination
of good writing and thoughtful questioning. Whether
it was Garrison Keillor or a former Miss America, Miles
interviewed her subjects with subtlety and sophistication.
The
combination of talent and hard work made Pat Miles a
first class journalist, a credible anchor, a committed
community citizen, and a role model for female journalists
to come.