Lou Miliano, Longtime CBS And WCBS Radio Reporter, Dead At 67

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Lou Miliano, an award-winning broadcast journalist who spent much of his career working for WCBS 880 and CBS News Radio, died Monday after his yearslong battle with cancer.

Miliano, 67, died at a hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida, on Monday morning. His death was announced in a statement by Harvey Nagler, vice president of CBS News Radio.

"Lou was one of the unique, wonderful individuals in our business," Nagler said. "He was an extraordinary broadcaster. His use of sound and ability to transport the listener to the scene of the story set the standard in our industry, one that has been emulated by other broadcasters nationwide. He was expert in incorporating natural sound, vivid descriptions and visual references laced with the voices of those making or affected by news events. More than that, Lou was a joy to be around."

During his 40-year broadcast career, Miliano covered major stories such as the 1991 Gulf War, where he was one of the first to report from Kuwait City and southern Iraq as Iraqi troops fled advancing coalition forces. He was in Somalia when Marines landed there, covering famine relief and civil unrest.

For those stories, he earned the Ben Grauer Award from the Overseas Press Club two years in a row.

"Lou really did it all, and he surely did it his way. He was unique," said WCBS 880 reporter Rich Lamb, a longtime colleague of Miliano's.

"I thought of Lou as kind of a gunslinger of a reporter. There was no gun, but he was always armed with his microphone and what he called his kit," Lamb continued. "He was ready to go at any moment of the day or night. He was undaunted by any possible difficulty. Would head to the scene of the latest disaster confident of his ability to put it all into words and somehow get those words out to the world."

Miliano also was intimately involved in CBS' coverage on 9/11 and reported from St. Peter's Square on the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. He also covered the 1995 Oklahoma City federal building bombing and the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

He worked for CBS and WCBS from 1989 until his retirement in 2007.

"Lou was a larger-than-life radio reporter," said Tim Scheld, WCBS 880's news director. "He painted great word pictures and was one of the best at using audio and natural sound to bring listeners to the scene of breaking news. He was a friend, colleague and competitor -- and always a gentleman."

Before joining CBS, Miliano was based in London from 1983-89 as the European bureau chief for the RKO Radio Networks, traveling with President Ronald Reagan on several trips and covering hostage situations in Beirut.

Miliano is survived by seven children. Funeral plans had not been released as of Monday evening.

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