Ron Millennor’s journey to Fox 19

Two years into his first job as sports producer at Channel 5, Ron “Rufus” Millennor stood on the field at Riverfront Stadium as the Cincinnati Reds clinched the N.L. pennant. As a field producer for reporter Greg Hoard, Rufus got the chance to be up-close and personal when his hometown team made the World Series.

“It was just chaos,” he said. “Eric Davis threw a gallon of milk on Greg and it went on a live TV set that was plugged in and it started smoking. It was crazy. It was awesome.

“I had only been in the business a year and a half and I thought, ‘This is unbelievable. I’m new to the business but I’m having this kind of fun. Being able to produce al the shows like this.’ That [moment] sticks out as the most fun.”

But not only was his decade-long stay at Channel 5 fun at times, but the WLWT Sports Department won some awards too. Three years in a row the WLWT Sports Department was named the best TV Sports Department in Ohio by the Associated Press.

“I was very proud of that. The fact that it was the AP was a big deal for us,” Rufus said.

After ten years though, Rufus’s contract was not renewed at Channel 5. One of his former general managers was in Detroit and invited him up to pursue a job.

In the closing weeks of December of 1998, Millennor traveled to Detroit to see if he was interested in the job. The weather was awful, and he was stuck in his hotel most of the time.

It’s not that Rufus couldn’t have had the job, but he just couldn’t justify making the move.

“The people were great,” he said, “but it just wasn’t for me. I’ve spent most of my life in Cincinnati. My friends are here, my contacts are here, my family is here.”

“I could have had that job, if I wanted it,” he added. “At the time, a lot of people thought I was nuts because the money was great and I didn’t have a job to return to.”

So the Westside guy returned home. Rufus still lives on the West Side of town with his cat, and describes himself as “happily single,” on his bio on Fox19.com.

When he returned to Cincinnati he found a new job with Kent Weaver, who started his own production company. Weaver, who is known in the media circle by his nickname “Dream,” began doing a spring training feed in 1999. Rufus joined Weaver for the venture.

The Reds paid Weaver and Rufus to send back highlights of their spring training games and workouts.

“We went to Spring Training and sent back material that the local stations, ESPN and FOX and everybody in the Reds network got,” he said, mentioning that cities like Louisville and Lexington are also in the Reds TV market. “We put a satellite feed up three times a week and the local stations would use it.”

After spring training ended, Rufus landed at the place he now calls home, WXIX, Fox 19. Five men made up the staff that is now comprised of two full-time men, Rufus and sports director Brian Giesenschlag.

For a man that has worked with so many people, it’s tough to say his journey to his current home is the best position he’s ever been in.

“I’ve worked with so many good people. I could never say one was better than the other because they’re all gifted people. I have enjoyed working with all of them. They all have taught me a lot,” he said.

But he’s also been on the teaching end himself.
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More on that tomorrow, though. I enjoyed listening to Rufus’s comments about how the industry has changed, and one night in particular that, for me, was a big-time teaching moment from Rufus. Plus later this week some great comments from folks who have worked with Rufus on his personality—which is one of a kind.

Have a great Tuesday. Thanks for reading.