WRAL-TV’s Rick Gall (l to r), Renee Chou, Elizabeth Gardner, Brian Shrader, Lena Tillett, Dan Haggerty, Jeremy Spearman, Ashley Talley & Bill Leslie at the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Awards Luncheon at the Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.WRAL-TV and MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM took home major awards from the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters (NCAB) this week, including Anchor of the Year for WRAL-TV’s Lena Tillett and Large Market Radio Personality/Team of the Year for MIX Mornings’ Kyle, Bryan and Sarah. WRAL alumni Bill Leslie received induction into the NCAB Hall of Fame, and the TV station took home several awards for news coverage as well.
WRAL-TV and WRAL-FM received the honors at the NCAB Annual awards luncheon on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, at the Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh, the first in-person awards since 2019.
“It was a great event and a nice reminder of what local broadcasting does for our communities,” said WRAL-TV Anchor Reporter Brian Shrader.
WRAL-TV Anchors, Past and Present, Honored Alongside News Coverage
WRAL-TV News Streaming Executive Producer Jeremy Spearman and WRAL-TV Anchor/Reporter Dan Haggerty accepted the “Outstanding Newscast” award on behalf of the entire team for the newscast of the day of the shooting at the Streets of Southpoint Mall.
WRAL-TV News Executive Producer Nightside Courtney Gartman and WRAL-TV Enterprise Executive Producer Ashley Talley accept the “Breaking Story Coverage” award for the same topic.
WRAL-TV Anchor/Reporter Lena Tillett accepted the Anchor of the Year honors with her husband and mother in the audience.
A group of WRAL staffers, both past and present, were on hand to honor Leslie on his induction into the NCAB Hall of Fame. Leslie said is he “deeply honored” by the prestigious award. He joins a distinguished list of CBC legends who have been inducted since the NCAB Hall of Fame inception in 1970: Ray Reeve (1971), A.J. Fletcher (1975), Fred Fletcher (1982), Frank Fletcher (1984), Floyd Fletcher (1989), Ray Wilkinson (1990), Charlie Gaddy (1984), Jim Goodmon (2003), John Greene (2007), Tom Suiter (2014), Stuart Scott (2015), Greg Fishel (2017).
WRAL-FM Morning Team Wins Big
The MIX Mornings team of Air Personalities Kyle Smelser, Bryan Lord and Sarah King were named the Large Market: Radio Personality/Team of the Year.
“MIX Mornings set a big vision last year to win this award and generate #1 ratings with our core demo of Adults/Women 25 to 54 consistently,” said WRAL-FM Radio Brand/Content Manager Sammy Simpson. “I’m so proud today to celebrate the team being at the top of the market for well over a year now and accepting this big accomplishment and recognition from the industry. Mission accomplished!! But they are just getting started with a clear focus to drive more ideas, accelerate their passion, and create powerful content daily to soar even higher.
Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Brian Shrader & WRAL-TV’s Leesa Moore for these Capcom photos.
WRAL-TV’s Courtney Gartman (l to r), Ashley Talley, Dan Haggerty, Lena Tillett & Jeremy Spearman with their trophies at the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Awards Luncheon at the Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.
The MIX Morning Team’s Bryan Lord (left) & Kyle Smelser were on hand to accept the Large Market Radio Team of the Year (which included Sarah King, not pictured) at the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Awards Luncheon at the Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.
WRAL-TV staffers present and past celebrate at the North Carolina Broadcasters Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, September 20, 2022. WRAL-TV’s Lena Tillett (l ro r), Renee Chou, Bill Leslie, Brian Shrader, Elizabeth Gardner & Raymond Farrar. Tillett won Anchor of the Year, and Leslie was inducted into the NCAB Hall of Fame.
WRAL-TV staffers present and past celebrate at the North Carolina Broadcasters Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, September 20, 2022. WRAL-TV’s Brian Shrader (l ro r), Elizabeth Gardener, Bill Leslie, Renee Chou & Mark Roberts. Leslie was inducted into the NCAB Hall of Fame.
The MIX Morning Team (Bryan Lord, Kyle Smelser & Sarah King) won the Large Market Radio Team of the Year at the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Awards Luncheon at the Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh on Wednesday, September 28, 2022
WRAL-TV’s Rick Gall (l to r), Renee Chou, Elizabeth Gardner, Brian Shrader, Lena Tillett, Dan Haggerty, Jeremy Spearman, Ashley Talley & Bill Leslie at the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Awards Luncheon at the Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.
WRAL-TV’s Brian Shrader (r to l) celebrates with former WRAL colleagues Raymond Farrar, Laurie Clowers & Mark Roberts at the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters (NCAB) Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. The group came to honor retired anchor Bill Leslie on his NCAB Hall of Fame induction.
WRAL-TV’s Brian Shrader (right) with former colleague Mike Raley at the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters (NCAB) Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Raley was inducted into the NCAB Hall of Fame alongside retired WRAL Anchor Bill Leslie.
The MIX Morning Team (Bryan Lord – l to r, Sarah King & Kyle Smelser) won the Large Market Radio Team of the Year at the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Awards Luncheon at the Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh on Wednesday, September 28, 2022
