HOUSTON—Houston television news pioneer Ray Miller has died at the age of 89.

KPRC-TV in Houston reports its longtime news director and originator of “The Eyes of Texas” television program died Saturday after a lengthy battle with ill health. Miller was a member of the KPRC Radio staff when its owners, the Hobby family, bought KLEE-TV and changed its call letters to KPRC-TV.

He served as the station’s news director during the 1960s and 1970s before retiring in 1979.

His reporters included the future U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.