Former WRAL anchor David Crabtree finds new purpose in retirement' role at PBS North Carolina
Retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree is inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, April 21, 2023.
A year after leaving the WRAL News anchor desk, David Crabtree is one of six people who were inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, April 21, 2023.
Crabtree joins Robert J. Brown, Curry Kirkpatrick, JJ Miller, Janet Northen and Kenny Smith in being recognized for achievements and influence across their respective fields of media and journalism.
Crabtree, a native of Tennessee, graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and became a television reporter in Nashville for WKRN. His first full-time anchor job came at WITN in Washington, NC. He then worked in Denver, Colorado, as a reporter and anchor for both KMGH and KCNC before joining WRAL-TV in 1994.
David Crabtree anchors final WRAL newscast of his 40-year TV career
Now Crabtree is CEO of PBS North Carolina, and he sees his TV job through a different lens.
For years, I was on one side of the camera, now I'm on another, he said. It's the same space, the same people, but they look different from this perspective.
Crabtree retired from WRAL News after almost 28 years, but instead of relaxing on the beach, he chose a different path.
I joke about this sometimes, he said. I don't know how to retire. When I've thought about doing it, I realized there's so much more to be done.
The programming he delivers statewide has a broad audience of all ages from Murphy to Manteo. Crabtree has a special affinity for the PBS characters that nearly everyone has grown up with. It's personal.
I look at my own grandson when he comes to visit watching cartoons on the PBS Kids Channel, and you feel good about that, he said.
You also realize that if it wasn't that they would be watching something, so why not give them something positive that will remain with them? So it is generational.
Crabtree is re-energized in his new role.
It has given me a new purpose, he said. I feel like 40-plus years in commercial broadcasting prepared me to be here.
WRAL anchor David Crabtree reflects on 40-year TV career
Induction into the NC Media and Journalism Hall of Fame was an honor he took a moment to process.
To have the chance to walk alongside some of the greats in journalism throughout the country is it's just hard to process. It gives you imposter syndrome, he said. I should be the emcee again for this or waiting the tables. No, I shouldn't be a part of this. But it's a real honor.
Six named to NC Media and Journalism Hall of Fame In his career, David Crabtree has won a DuPont Award, 16 Emmys, multiple Radio Television News Directors Association Reporter of the Year awards (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), a Gabriel Award and the 2014 North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Anchor of the Year.
Robert J. Brown is the founder, chairman and CEO of the management consulting, market research and public relations firm B&C Associates.
Curry Kirkpatrick is a legendary sportswriter who changed the style of collegiate basketball reporting.
JJ Miller is senior vice president at Sharecare, a leading digital health company, and the founder of a media consulting company specializing in strategic video and audio storytelling.
Janet Northen is the executive vice president and director of agency communications at McKinney, and an expert at creating buzz-worthy public relations for creative campaigns.
Kenny Smith is an Emmy-nominated analyst known for his insightful commentary on TNT's Inside the NBA and CBS's NCAA March Madness Men's basketball coverage.
An induction ceremony scheduled at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill and was hosted by Rochelle Riley, director of arts and culture for the city of Detroit, a 2019 NC Hall of Fame Inductee and a 1981 graduate of the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media.
Thanks to WRAL.com for this Capcom story & to WRAL-TV's Amanda Lamb for these Capcom photos.
Retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree (center, surrounded by WRAL colleagues past & present) is inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, April 21, 2023. Retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree is inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, April 21, 2023. Retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree is inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, April 21, 2023. Retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree is inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, April 21, 2023. WRAL-TV's Amanda Lamb congratulates retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree on his induction into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, April 21, 2023. WRAL-TV retiree Chad Flowers (left) congratulates retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree on his induction into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame on Friday, April 21, 2023. WRAL-TV's Amanda Lamb (l to r), Corp's Monica Laliberte, WRAL-TV's Debra Morgan and former WRAL-TV alum Andrea Moody attend the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame induction for retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree on Friday, April 21, 2023. WRAL-TV's Amanda Lamb & WRAL-TV retiree Chad Flowers attend the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame induction for retired WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree on Friday, April 21, 2023.
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
When Canada qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026, OneSoccer knew this wasn'...
04/07/2026
Celebrates company's 80th anniversary
Rhodes have recently revealed that they will be producing a limited run of electric pianos in celebration of their...
04/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Empower Youth Broadcasting Program
Brie Clayton July 3, 2026
0 Comments
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and Blackmagi...
04/07/2026
iZotope Joins Boris FX
Boris Yamnitsky July 3, 2026
0 Comments
iZotope, the team behind RX and Ozone, is joining Boris FX. A letter from founder Boris...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
03/07/2026
New bundle & three Single Packs
Continuing to expand their already sizeable orchestral collection, VSL's latest release introduces three new Single Pack...
03/07/2026
Venue installs new ATC-equipped control room
LSO St Luke's, a unique music venue that also serves as the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, have rec...
03/07/2026
Caden Pearson appointed new Commissioning Editor for NITV
3 July, 2026
Media releases
National Indigenous Television (NITV) has strengthened its commitment...
03/07/2026
1 February 2023
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 1st February 2023: Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software technology for digit...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Death Star
Andy Marken July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Look, I can't get involved. I've got work to do. It's not that I like the Empire; I hate i...
03/07/2026
Berklee's New Visual Identity: Honoring Our History, Building for What's...
03/07/2026
Scripps Research scientists awarded $2M to advance global disease surveillance Two Gates Foundation grants will expand wastewater surveillance and AI-driven dis...
03/07/2026
Joan Pulupa joins Scripps Research faculty to study the organization of DNA in brain cells and its links to neurodegeneration Using smell-sensing neurons and ad...
02/07/2026
Entering her senior year, this hometown girl is paving a career in live sports production gaining experience in replay and audio and as a TD
In the live-sports...
02/07/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
02/07/2026
BLAST, a competitive entertainment company focused on esports, has announced more than $133 million in revenue for 2025, representing more than 40% year-over-ye...
02/07/2026
Riedel Communications has announced official SKAARHOJ panel support for SimplyLive production workflows, enabled through the SimplyLive 2.1 release. The integra...
02/07/2026
The Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has deployed LiveU video-over-bond...
02/07/2026
Gravity Media USA has announced the appointment of Brittney Boston as Head of Business Development, effective July 1, 2026. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Bosto...
02/07/2026
TwelveLabs, a video intelligence company, has announced $100 million in Series B funding co-led by NEA and NAVER Ventures, with participation from Amazon, Radic...
02/07/2026
The Pro Padel League (PPL) has announced a broadcast partnership with USA Sports that will air five PPL championship matches on CNBC during the 2026 season, the...
02/07/2026
LiveLike, a digital fan engagement platform, has announced eight confirmed FIFA ...
02/07/2026
Cobalt Digital has received Future's Best of Show Award, presented by AV Technology at InfoComm 2026, for its blueCORE family of standalone signal processor...
02/07/2026
Synamedia has announced the appointment of Dr. Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transition...
02/07/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) and Sony Group Corporation have announced an expanded collaboration for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), taking place in Paris, Fra...
02/07/2026
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. ( Z') has announced exclusive broadcast and digital rights for the Bundesliga in India for five years, beginning with the...
02/07/2026
An effort uniting News, Sports, Local, and Telemundo, the 50+-camera live produc...
02/07/2026
Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Ben Wang appe...
02/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
02/07/2026
A new era in unmixing and spectral editing
The latest version of Steinberg's spectral audio-editing software has just arrived, building on the strength...
02/07/2026
Aims to simplify additive synthesis
Sine Machine is the debut launch from Melatonin, a Vienna-based developer who have spent the past six years creating wha...
02/07/2026
Products to remain fully active & supported
Following the news of Native Instruments joining the inMusic brand line-up, Academy and Emmy Award-winning visua...
02/07/2026
What you missed!
Last weekend, Saturday 27 June 2026, saw the debut of Sound On Sounds new GearExpo UK event, the largest dedicated pro-audio event to take ...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Following the successful launch of its inaugural APAC Mentoring Programme last month, the Rise AV APAC Regional Council will bring the conversation around mento...
02/07/2026
Blackmagic PYXIS 6K Used to Shoot Director Takahisa Zeze's Cry Out
Brie Clayton July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Highly mobile camera supports tense and de...
02/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions acquires BFE, expanding its lead in European broadcast, medi...
02/07/2026
Berklee Alum and Faculty Perform at Boston Public Library's 250th Anniversar...
02/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions GmbH, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, is acquiring BFE Studio und Medien...
02/07/2026
Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, has extended the ingest facility at leading Brazilian sports company LiveMode, work...
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...
Former WRAL anchor David Crabtree finds new purpose in retirement' role at PBS North Carolina
