Changes Coming in November
Lena Tillett joins Gerald Owens on anchor desk for 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts
Mikaya Thurmond moves to weekdays, joining Ken Smith from the anchor desk at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.
Kathryn Brown departure, leaving local news
WRAL News, the most watched news team in the Triangle, recently announced several internal anchor promotions. The new line up showcases familiar, trusted journalists as the team produces 11 hours of local news each weekday in the Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville TV market.
“Over the years, we have developed some great depth on the anchor desk, and an opportunity to promote from within has now presented itself. It’s really exciting to see such passionate and talented journalists continue to grow and be rewarded for their efforts here,” said Rick Gall, WRAL News Director.
EVENING ANCHOR CHANGES, TILLETT PROMOTED
WRAL News anchor Lena Tillett is promoted, beginning November 30, 2020, and will move to the nightside team, where she will anchor WRAL News at 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. alongside Gerald Owens. This move comes on the heels of her June 2020 promotion to co-anchor of WRAL News at 4 p.m.
”WRAL’s evening team has an unmatched reputation for fairness, accuracy, and empathy in news coverage. I am thrilled to join such a dedicated group of journalists and look forward to serving our community at a new time slot,” said Tillett on the move.
“Viewers have come to trust and respect Lena and her commitment to local journalism,” said Joel Davis, VP and General Manger of WRAL/FOX 50, “We are pleased that our audience has connected to her natural warmth, intelligence and authenticity and are very happy that she will be a part of the WRAL News team for years to come.”
Since joining WRAL in 2016, Tillett’s role has continued to evolve. She was instrumental in the debut and expansion of the WRAL Live Center and helped launch WRAL News at 9 a.m. on FOX 50 in June of 2019.
MORNING NEWS CHANGES: THURMOND MOVES TO WEEKDAYS, JOINS SMITH FOR 7 A.M. & 9 A.M. NEWS ON FOX 50
WRAL News weekend morning anchor, Mikaya Thurmond, is also changing roles, taking on additional anchor and Live Center responsibilities as she shifts to a fulltime weekday role. Thurmond will split her time between the Live Center (4:30 a.m.-7 a.m. & Noon) and anchor desk (7 a.m. & 9 a.m.) Thurmond joined WRAL News in 2015 as a reporter and is currently the weekend morning news anchor.
On the change, Thurmond said, “This promotion is a dream come true. I started my career at WRAL on weekday mornings as a reporter and I am thrilled to now be sitting on the anchor desk with Renee, Jeff, and Ken.”
WRAL News anchor Ken Smith, who moved from weekend anchor to weekday duties last year, also changes roles and responsibilities. Smith will now be anchoring 7 a.m. & 9 a.m., handling Live Center at 8 a.m., and reporting three days a week for the evening news. Smith helped launch the WRAL News at 9 a.m. on FOX 50 in June of 2019.
WRAL NEWS plans to hire a new Weekend Morning Anchor/Reporter to replace Thurmond.
BROWN LEAVES LOCAL NEWS BUSINESS
WRAL News anchor Kathryn Brown will be leaving the station and leaving television news as of November 27th, 2020. The decision by Brown to leave the local news desk was driven primarily by family and the desire to truly be there as her children grow up. Despite the November departure, Brown is not leaving the WRAL family. Viewers will occasionally see her back on-air to help fill in as an anchor for WRAL News.
Brown joined WRAL in 2014 as a Weekend Anchor/Reporter, coming from WCBS-TV in New York City. She began anchoring WRAL weekday newscasts in 2017.
WRAL NEWS ANCHOR TEAMS
Expect to see the following WRAL News teams very soon:
- Weekday mornings on WRAL from 4:30 a.m.-7 a.m.: Renee Chou and Jeff Hogan, Mikaya Thurmond in the Live Center
- Weekday mornings on FOX 50 at 7 a.m.: Ken Smith and Mikaya Thurmond, Renee Chou in the Live Center
- Weekday mornings on FOX 50 at 8 a.m.: Renee Chou and Jeff Hogan, Ken Smith in the Live Center
- Weekday mornings on FOX 50 at 9 a.m.: Ken Smith and Mikaya Thurmond anchor, Jeff Hogan in the Live Center
- Weekdays at Noon: Renee Chou and Jeff Hogan, Mikaya Thurmond in the Live Center
- Weekdays 4 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.: Gerald Owens and Lena Tillett, Mark Boyle in the Live Center
- Weekdays 5 p.m. & 6 p.m.: David Crabtree and Debra Morgan, Mark Boyle in the Live Center
- Weekdays 7 p.m.: David Crabtree, Debra Morgan and Gerald Owens, Mark Boyle in the Live Center
- Weekdays 10 p.m.: Gerald Owens and Lena Tillett, Mark Boyle in the Live Center
- Weekdays 11 p.m.: Debra Morgan and Gerald Owens, Mark Boyle in the Live Center
Thanks to WRAL-TV for this capcom story & for these capcom photos.
