WRAL Revamps Anchors, Weather, Newsroom

Sept. 27 will be a big day for Capitol Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WRAL Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (DMA 24). That’s when it introduces two new anchor teams, a new weather innovation and a renovated newsroom.

Veteran newsman David Crabtree welcomes 18-year WRAL anchor Debra Morgan as his partner on the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts.

Morgan remains with her longtime partner Gerald Owens at 11 p.m. Owens takes over at 5:30 p.m. with new partner Jackie Hyland. Owens and Hyland will also anchor the WRAL-produced 10 p.m. news on co-owned WRAZ.

Hyland’s career includes anchoring and reporting for ABC’s World News Now and Good Morning America; WPIX New York; CNBC; WCBS New York; and WFAA Dallas.

Longtime news anchor Pam Saulsby will be pursuing other opportunities outside of the station. She will continue co-anchoring the noon newscast with Bill Leslie until later this fall. Pam’s final 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts will be later this week.

Reporter/Anchor Cullen Browder will now focus full time on the WRAL Investigates unit.

WRAL is also launching a new, interactive, high-definition weather system with 3-D storm tracking; an exclusive FutureCast tracking model; and a StormThreat feature that predicts tornado, thunderstorm, hail and flooding probability.

The new HD WeatherCenter also now features recreation specific forecasts, a ComfortCast for outdoor events and an exclusive Pain Index that ranks atmospheric conditions for those who suffer from arthritis and joint pain.

WRAL’s all-HD newsroom, which debuted January 2001, is undergoing a facelift as well. The new version will showcase the station’s big coverage of big stories, local investigations, severe weather coverage plus Web and social media integration, with a more contemporary take to the graphics and music.

The new anchor teams, weather system and newsroom renovation debut Sept. 27 at noon.