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Division Profile

  • 2619 Western Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27606
  • PHONE: 919.821.8555
  • NEWS FAX: 919.919.8541
  • WEBSITE
  • SOCIAL MEDIA ADDRESSES:

OVERVIEW

wralbutton5 (1)As the first VHF television station in Raleigh, NC, WRAL-TV immediately began setting high standards of broadcasting with news excellence, quality local programming and service to the community.

Located on Western Boulevard, only a few miles from downtown Raleigh, WRAL-TV has been awarded nationally for its public service promotions, local programming and news reporting.

HISTORY

INLINE_34_wral_floatWRAL-TV first went on the air December 15, 1956 with a message from CBC founder A.J. Fletcher saying, “Information to which the public is entitled will be given without bias or favor. Only in this way can our people make an intelligent choice on these issues affecting our welfare.”  Immediately following his words setting the tone for the station’s future, viewers settled in to watch “Miracle on 34th Street” in their living rooms. Since then, viewers all over central North Carolina have been watching. Through affiliations with NBC, ABC and now CBS, WRAL-TV is consistently ranked as one of the top local stations in the country.

WRAL-TV was the first TV station in the state and one of the first in the nation to purchase a helicopter for our newsgathering efforts in June of 1979. WRAL-TV then added the area’s first team of professional TV meteorologists in 1982 and joined stations in Charlotte and Greensboro in 1983 to form the Carolina News Network — one of the nation’s first regional TV news networks. In 1984, WRAL became the first TV station in the state and the second in the nation to use a KU-band transportable uplilnk vehicle, or “satellite truck,” allowing WRAL News to be broadcast from anywhere.

In 1989, WRAL-TV’s 2,000-foot tower collapsed after a severe ice storm, taking the station off the air. With the help of Fayetteville’s WKFT, Channel 40, WRAL-TV was back on the air only three hours after the collapse. WRAL began broadcasting from a new, more stable tower on October 25, 1990. The new 2,000-foot tower became the heaviest transmitting tower in the world, weighing in at about 723 tons, and the tallest man-made structure east of the Mississippi River.

WRAL entered the digital age in 1995, launching WRAL OnLine (now WRAL.com), the area’s first local TV web site. The site is one of the nation’s most honored local news web sites.

WRAL became the nation’s first commercial station to broadcast a high-definition signal on July 23, 1996. During that month, WRAL-HD, Channel 32, signed on the air. The newly-christened WRAL-DT began broadcasting at full power on its permanent home on March 24, 2000 and soon became the first station in the nation to begin broadcasting a data channel to personal computer users.

On Jan. 28, 2001, WRAL became the world’s first high-definition TV newsgathering operation with the debut of the station’s all-digital HD newsroom.

RECENT AWARDS

  • NC Associated Press Broadcaster’s Association, Outstanding News Operation, 2011
  • Radio Television Digital News Association Edward R. Murrow Award, Continuing Coverage, 2011
  • Radio Television Digital News Association Edward R. Murrow Award, Newscast, 2011
  • Radio Television Digital News Association Edward R. Murrow Award, News Documentary “On the Edge,” 2011
  • National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Nashville/MidSouth Emmy Award, News Excellence, 2011
  • Radio Television Digital News Association Edward R. Murrow Award, Overall Excellence, 2009
  • NC Associated Press Broadcaster’s Association, Outstanding News Operation, 2009
  • Radio Television Digital News Association Edward R. Murrow Award, News Documentary “Love Child,” 2008
  • Radio Television Digital News Association Edward R. Murrow Award, Videography, 2008
  • Radio Television Digital News Association Edward R. Murrow Award, News Writing, 2008

MISSION STATEMENT

At WRAL-TV, we recognize and accept excellence as a fundamental goal of our television station. It is our inherent desire to be the best local television station in the country. We commit to the highest standards of excellence in our local news, entertainment, information and public service programming. Essential to that effort is a foundation of honesty and integrity — qualities which help us earn and build trust with our viewers, co-workers and business partners.

Accuracy and fairness are the cornerstones of our local news effort. As A.J. Fletcher said in 1956, “…to inform the public without bias or favor is this station’s highest duty.” We build upon that foundation by being solution-oriented in our news coverage, offering viewers helpful information and providing context to the stories that affect our viewers’ lives. We provide a balance of all kinds of news about all aspects of life, emphasizing people’s successes as well as their failures.

We recognize that hard work and creativity are our greatest assets. We seek to attract and retain the very best people at every level. We are open to positive change and innovation, with each of us continually working to expand our willingness to take responsibility, and be accountable for our actions.

WRAL-TV is strongly committed to the communities we serve. Public service is an important part of what we do every day, and we encourage our employees to be active participants in the process. We want to be an integral part of our viewers’ lives, and we realize that community involvement is at the core of who we are and what we do.

We operate with a genuine team spirit, treating each other with respect and encouragement. We seek to build upon each other’s ideas, making decisions based upon what’s best for our customers and our company. In this same spirit, WRAL-TV strives to provide financial prosperity to our company, our business partners and our families.

STATEMENT FROM THE VP/GENERAL MANAGER

INLINE_GM_Steve Hammel“You may have read about a number of “firsts” for WRAL-TV. While I am proud of those firsts, I am most proud of our co-workers. Without great co-workers who have the highest standards of excellence and integrity, we could not achieve those firsts. The only reasons those “firsts” are important is because of our commitment to our viewers. We strive to provide the best news, information, community service and entertainment. It is our privilege to serve our 23 county viewing area. The trust that our viewers place on us 24 hours a day is not taken lightly. We are here in times of severe weather, in times of turmoil and in times of jubilation. We are honored to share what we know, when we know it in a fair and comprehensive way.”
– Steven D. Hammel, WRAL-TV VP and General Manager, shammel@wral.com, (919) 821-8510

RECENT NEWS