Producing the WRAL Tower Lighting is my favorite assignment every year. Every year, its amazing how many people from various departments come together for this project.
WRAL-TV News Producer Kelly Riner
WRAL-TV's Kelly Riner is festively decked and ready to produce the 2020 WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
WRAL-TV supersized the tower lighting for 2020, combining the lighting celebrations from American Tobaccos Lucky Strike Tower, the Rocky Mount Mills Water Tower and the WRAL-TV Tower into one, live half-hour special. Because of the pandemic, in-person events could not take place, so CBC found a way to bring all three tower lightings to everyone in the Triangle.
WRAL-TV News Producer Kelly Riner did not let the changes for 2020 get her down. She still decked out in her festive best and produced the special which aired live on Tuesday, December 1.
Producing the WRAL Tower Lighting is my favorite assignment every year, she said. Every year, its amazing how many people from various departments come together for this project.
Riner was thrilled that WRAL-TV expanded their usual scope this year to include Rocky Mount Mills and the American Tobacco Campus in the special.
Capcom talked to Riner about how WRAL tackled the unique challenges to producing an expanded tower lighting special during the time of COVID:
The excitement leading up to the event was incredible, especially considering the unique challenges the pandemic brings for all us professionally and personally. Safety was our number one priority as we set out to continue this special WRAL tradition.
Our meetings were all virtual. We staged everything with a broad footprint to allow for maximum social distancing. We encouraged viewers to stay at home. A couple of our performances were pre-recorded to keep the artists and our crews safe. Staff who regularly work from home and in the field came in to help with guests, so those of us inside the building had no potential exposures. We used a different phone line so field producers didnt have to borrow headsets. Really, everything was taken into consideration.
Each department head and manager made sure everything looked great and we were all safe. It was much appreciated.
Behind the scenes at the 2020 WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
One thing about the tower lighting special did not change this year. Riner did not hold back on donning her more festive apparel.
If anyone saw me on Tower Lighting day, I was dressed in Christmas light-themed attire from head to toe, literally, she said. It was a bit silly and quite a sight but I hope, just like the special, that it brought some cheer during an otherwise sad and scary time.
She has collected fun outfit pieces over the years, and several close to her pitched in new pieces this year, including a holiday facemask.
My accessories were all gifts from co-workers and friends who know just how much joy and enthusiasm I have for the Tower Lighting production and for this gift WRAL gives to the community each year!! said Riner.
WRAL viewers can see the WRAL-TV tower, American Tobaccos Lucky Strike Tower and the water tower at Rocky Mount Mills aglow every night now through the new year. Those lights are something that will go on despite COVID.
Im looking forward to next year when we can all be closer together, high five, and hug, said Riner. Until then, if you see anything with holiday lights, consider adding it to your wardrobe this season. I guarantee, just like the beautiful Capitol Broadcasting towers do, you, too, can spread a little hope and cheer.
Thanks to WRAL-TVs Kelly Riner for these capcom photos.
WRAL-TVs Kelly Riner is festively decked and ready to produce the 2020 WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
Behind the scenes at the 2020 WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
Behind the scenes at the 2020 WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
The 2020 WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
The 2020 Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
The 2020 WRAL-TV Tower Lighting (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
The festive dream team: WRAL-TVs Kelly Riner & WRAL-TVs Jeremy Spearman. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Riner)
Most recent headlines
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today! By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
23/12/2025
23 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
23/12/2025
New technique lights up where drugs go in the body, cell by cell Scripps Research scientists developed a technique that maps drug binding in individual cells th...
22/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Presidio's Neerav Shah on the Role of Its Captiva...
22/12/2025
Hitting the bullseye: Sky Sports readies itself for the biggest PDC World Darts ...
22/12/2025
Unique skillset: Bringing new directors to the world of darts at The Worlds with...
22/12/2025
Gravity Media prepares for a flight of fancy with the PDC World Darts Championsh...
22/12/2025
One hundred and eighty: Gravity Media on hitting the production bullseye at the ...
22/12/2025
The Famous Group's Jon Slusser on Fascinating Fans Through Immersive Content...
22/12/2025
ESPN's Meg Aronowitz on Continuing High-Quality Broadcasts of Collegiate Spo...
22/12/2025
ESPN Takes Data-Driven Storytelling to New Heights with MNF Playbook with Next ...
22/12/2025
For a decade, popular German podcast Fest & Flauschig has hosted an annual Chris...
22/12/2025
Paramount Scores Largest Share Increase Among Distributors as Paramount and CBS...
22/12/2025
New multi-year deal integrates Roku's data to fuel Nielsen's measurement suite
Roku gains access to Nielsen's streaming ratings, showing The Roku C...
Producing the WRAL Tower Lighting is my favorite assignment every year. Every year, its amazing how many people from various departments come together for this project. 
