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 ...
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...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
12/05/2026
CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...
12/05/2026
Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...
12/05/2026
Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...
12/05/2026
Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...
12/05/2026
dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
NUGEN Audio will debut Version 1.1 of DialogCheck, its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at the 2026 Media Production & Technology Show (S...
12/05/2026
The reactive visuals can adapt to any stage or screen setup and comprise 50 layers of Notch content
Today, Disguise announced that its high performance GX 3 m...
12/05/2026
Snapgrid , Snapbag & Airglow Expand Creative Control for the ARRI Modular LED BarFollowing the launch of the ARRI Omnibar, DoPchoice introduces a dedicated li...
12/05/2026
May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here
TRIBECA FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2026 GAMES PROGRAM
Tribeca Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With World Premieres and Pl...
12/05/2026
May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here
MADONNA BRINGS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF CONFESSIONS II TO 2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL
The Global Icon Will Unveil a Cine...
12/05/2026
Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...
Former WRAL anchor David Crabtree finds new purpose in retirement' role at PBS North Carolina
