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Longtime morning host J.B. Miller is out at 101.5 Big Buck Country, Huntington, WV, after 13 years with the station.
In an interview with the Ironton Tribune, Miller said he was fired over the phone while vacationing in Tennessee. He said he received a call from the WXBW program director telling him his services were “no longer needed.”
“You asked me to come there, and I gave you 13 years of punctuality and good radio; then you have the program director call me in the middle of a week while on vacation—I just don’t think it’s very professional,” Miller said.
Mike Kirtner, the station owner, told the Ironton Tribune that he has taken charge of the morning show’s direction. “The show will feature more in-studio guests as well as live interaction with its audience,” he said. “Teresa Lawrence, ‘T,’ has been promoted to the anchor chair. She has served as co-hostess for several years.” Kirtner said the station was “limited with guests due to timing conflicts with the show’s ‘previous talent.”’
Kirtner added that the station is working to retain Miller in a future on-air capacity.
Miller disputed whether any such arrangement was in place.
“I’m happy with the last 13 years,” Miller said. “Most people I work with are great people I’ve worked with before. That’s how the business works. I just don’t think it should have ended that way.”
