French Students Visit WRAL-TV – Capitol Broadcasting Company

When you are known as the technological leader in broadcasting nationally and to some degree internationally, it isn’t a surprise that the WRAL-TV studios are a “must see” attractions. Our corporate office was contacted by the NCSU SKEMA Business School hosted a group of French students on campus from the summer.

The students would be freshmen in our country and this experience in the U.S. and the testing afterward determines their moving to the sophomore ranking next seminar.

WRAL-TV General Manager & Vice President, Steve Hammel has encouraged the staff to always welcome our visitors, particularly our international students. This has proven over the years to be a learning exchange for all involved. This visit was no exception.

The students were treated to a facility tour and a Q&A session with anchor Debra Morgan.

“They asked some incredible insightful questions on freedom of speech that we Americans often take for granted” stated Morgan.

I got to “practice” speaking to them using my high school level French, offering them some degree of comedic relief to be sure. On the other hand, their mastery of English was awesome!

The group was led by Ms. Marie-Claire Ribeill who is on the staff at NCSU…who graciously wrote the following:

My students have left. They are back in France and I now finally have a little time to sit down and thank you for your WONDERFUL tour of WRAL TV!

Thank you so much for giving us your time and showing us all the behind-the-scenes places and people at the station.

They, and I, really appreciated all the information and we were impressed by your knowledge, how you shared it and also by the personal stories you shared which made the whole experience even more enriching.

Thank you again so much and do not hesitate to contact me should you need anything French or having to do with France.

You can come in and visit SKEMA one of these days. We are very close to you.”

Marie-Claire Ribeill
Honorary Consul of France
Language Coordinator &PDSO
SKEMA Business School

It should be noted that Ribeill is in fact the Honorary Consul of France here in North Carolina. She represents the government of France on occasions here in the State and currently is seeking World War II veterans who served in France during the war to formally award them medals from her country in appreciation for their brave liberation of France. Please contact her if you know anyone that might be eligible.

Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Clarence Williams for this capcom story & for these capcom photos.