99.9 The Fan Producer/Board Operator Dennis Cox and WRAL-TV Sports Anchor/Reporter Chris Lea had never met in person when they realized they wanted to do a podcast together. Lea had recently joined the WRAL team, and Cox had taken on a larger role at CBC Sports Radio when the two got to know each other virtually.
A few weeks after I started working at WRAL on March 4th, 2020, Dennis Cox went from a part-time to a full-time position at 99.9 The Fan. Because of COVID-19, we never met each other in person until 2021, but we quickly formed a relationship based on our mutual admiration for professional wrestling, explained Lea. We both wanted to do a podcast, but not necessarily one surrounding only pro wrestling, but we didn't want to ignore wrestling.
The duo brainstormed until they came up with an idea.
Then we got it, said Lea. We decided to celebrate the state of North Carolina.
He continued, Over the summer of 2020, while only being able to talk on the phone or text, Dennis and I came up with the concept of Culture State, our new podcast that just debuted on the Capitol Broadcasting Company Podcast Network. We realized that this state had deep influences in sports, pop culture and in pro wrestling and we both wanted to create a platform to explore those influences and allow those key contributors to tell their stories.
99.9 The Fan Producer/Board Operator Dennis Cox
The pair got to work exploring the wide variety of topics that theme opened to them. They actually taped the first interview back in September but with election season and other adjustments, launched the podcast and the first episode on January 27, 2021.
Cox described the focus of the podcast as, Celebrating those who put North Carolina on the sports & pop-culture map. And some fun conversations between Chris and myself, including stories about us splitting our pants in public; Chris on live TV, and mine on a date.
And they finally got to meet each other in person.
We record together in the same building, but we're in separate studios, said Cox. We can see each other through the glass, but we're never in the same studio booth together.
Despite the challenges of COVID, they have become fast friends.
I love working with Chris, said Cox. Our backgrounds and journeys have a lot of similarities, we have the same underdog' mentality, and like Chris said recently, it's like we're long lost brothers who finally met. Plus, we get to talk to some pretty awesome people!
New episodes drop every Wednesday morning. The latest episode of Culture State is available wherever you get your podcasts.
Find Culture State on the Capitol Broadcasting Podcast Network
Listeners can download and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Pocketcasts, & more. As well as the WRALSportsFan App. Follow the show on Twitter & Instagram at @CultureStatePod. Follow Chris Lea at @ChrisLeaTV on Twitter & IG, and Dennis Cox at @TheFanRookie on Twitter & IG.
Check out the full lineup of CBCs growing Capitol Broadcasting Podcast Network HERE.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Standalone processors acknowledged for the innovation and value they bring to Pro AV
Cobalt Digital, a leading designer and manufacturer of signal processing ...
02/07/2026
Synamedia announced today the appointment of Dr Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transitio...
02/07/2026
Screen Australia backs audience-led filmmaking with new insight-driven initiativ...
02/07/2026
Screen Australia refines guidelines for Narrative Content Development and Docume...
02/07/2026
Maxon Autograph: Introduction to working with Tables
Simon Ubsdell July 1, 2026
0 Comments
An overview of Autograph's ridiculously powerful tables...
02/07/2026
Boston Conservatory's Soir e Breaks Records to Fund Student Scholarships The event achieved 127 percent of its fundraising goal in an evening celebrating ...
02/07/2026
How Adam Rosenwach Pivoted from Music to Med Tech Without Missing a Beat What do the rehearsal room and the boardroom have in common? More than you might thin...
01/07/2026
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) has announced the appointment of Kathy Samuels ...
01/07/2026
Shade has announced Custom Objects and Automations, a platform expansion releasing June 29, 2026, that adds database and workflow automation capabilities direct...
01/07/2026
FOR-A America has announced the addition of Jaz Wray and Fernando Cruz to its U.S. sales team. Both report to Ernie Leon, Senior VP and Head of Sales and Strate...
01/07/2026
NBC Sports will air all 15 MLB games nationally on Sunday, July 5, across NBC, P...
01/07/2026
Clear-Com has announced a wireless communications upgrade for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, deploying FreeSpeak II and FreeSpeak Icon systems across both prod...
01/07/2026
England's performance team will use Sony's STATSports APEX GPS tracking system to monitor player physical data in real time during FIFA World Cup 2026 m...
01/07/2026
Adder Technology has announced the appointment of Neil Hillier as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026. Hillier succeeds Adrian Dickens, who transiti...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. has announced a strategic transaction creating two separate companies. The Production and Playout business will continue as Bitcentral, now own...
01/07/2026
DAZN has announced results from DAZN48, its creator initiative for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Launched in April 2026, the program received thousands of applicatio...
01/07/2026
Sarah Rose, VP, global services, Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT), will be inducted into the Information Display and Entertainment Association (IDEA) Hall of Fame at t...
01/07/2026
Gravity Media and the World Economic Forum's production team provided broadc...
01/07/2026
Insight Productions has announced the launch of Insight Storm, a 53-foot mobile broadcast unit built for esports production. The truck is built around a Ross Vi...
01/07/2026
ESPN has announced several content initiatives marking America's 250th anniversary, as part of The Walt Disney Company's Disney Celebrates America pro...
01/07/2026
Eleven production kits, REMI workflows, and cloud distribution bring 40 World Cu...
01/07/2026
The conference also discussed the opportunities offered an industry that is endu...
01/07/2026
The Mountain West Conference has announced the launch of MW , a direct-to-consumer streaming platform powered by Kiswe. The platform will carry live Mountain We...
01/07/2026
New AI Assistant, Multi-channel Audio, ARA2 improvements & more
Tracktion's DAW software has just received its latest major update, gaining a selection ...
01/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
01/07/2026
Exclusive run of limited-edition modelling pedals
Sweetwater and Andertons M...
01/07/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Manfrotto Introduces UNCOVER, the new premium camera bag collection for modern h...
01/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Powers Houston Tamil Sangam Literacy Competition
Brie Clayton July 1, 2026
0 Comments
Volunteers use ATEM Mini Pro, Blackmagic Desig...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
PlayBox Technology has published State of Broadcast Infrastructure 2026, an in-depth industry research report examining the technologies, operational challenges...
01/07/2026
LONDON, UK, 1 JULY Jigsaw24 has appointed Alan Henry as Head of Sales for Media and Entertainment, reinforcing its continued investment in helping broadcaster...
01/07/2026
Content Vault, the patent-pending secure content distribution platform protecting high-value media from disclosures, theft and unauthorised access, today announ...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. a leading provider of enterprise software and digital media solutions for news, sports and entertainment broadcasters, as well as streaming pla...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Groundbreaking First Nations Screen Business Accelerator launched through nation...
99.9 The Fan Producer/Board Operator Dennis Cox and WRAL-TV Sports Anchor/Reporter Chris Lea had never met in person when they realized they wanted to do a podcast together. Lea had recently joined the WRAL team, and Cox had taken on a larger role at CBC Sports Radio when the two got to know each other virtually.
