2024 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Charlie Carlucci Profile: A Legacy Unlike Any Other as a CBS Sports Graphics Operator By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, November 12, 2024 - 10:03 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
On December 17, 2024, 10 new inductees will be formally enshrined in the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in New York City. This is the first of 10 profiles of those inductees, as we celebrate their careers, their impact, and the many ways they changed our industry forever.
2024 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Charlie Carlucci spent more than 35 years redefining the role of graphics operator for CBS Sports. And while, yes, the core of what he did was all about fonts, statistics, colors, and images his key to success, and becoming a Hall of Famer, was his ability to be a good listener.
That was huge, he says. And also important was helping the people sitting next to me. I could never let someone sink I would always help them and let them know I've done this a lot, and this is what we should do.
Those efforts in leadership were not lost by those at CBS Sports, including at the highest level where CBS Sports President David Berson, says Carlucci is in a class by himself as a graphics operator.
Among the many things that stood out about Charlie were his incredible sports knowledge, his ability to continuously adapt to and integrate new technology, and a personality that created calm in the most stressful of situations, he says. Charlie worked across nearly every property at CBS Sports - including the Super Bowl, Masters, Final Four and US Open - and did so at the highest of levels.
Adds Craig Silver, CBS Sports, coordinating producer: Charlie was the most skilled operator of his time. He was expert at the technology of the equipment, and he knew and loved sports as well as anybody. But most of all, he understood PEOPLE. His expertise mixed with his incredible charisma and humor created an atmosphere for success in the graphics room, and helped the members of his team perform at their very best!
Born in Brooklyn in 1954, Carlucci and his family lived there until he was 14 when they then moved out to Wayne, NJ. It was there where he started high school and also his older brother was hired by one of the cable companies in North Jersey. For Carlucci, his brother's career in cable TV opened the door to a career in sports production.
During high school I would work there for him and with him, and that's where my first experience in playing television' as I was covering high school sports and other things for local cable, says Carlucci.
He then attended Manhattan College as an English major, wanting to be a sports reporter. But when he had a chance to spend his summers working for WPIX and two winters in the mid-70s working for Madison Square Garden network while at school he realized he wanted to work behind the scenes. Given that he found himself working on professional productions of professional sports teams while in college led to the occasional awkward moment.
I remember telling the media department professor that I can't make class next week because I'm doing camera at Shea Stadium and I thought he was going to fall off his chair, recalls Carlucci. He goes, what?' and I said, yeah, I got hired by WPIX. So, I would go do a Yankee game at night and then then next day go to school. That was the beginning.
It wasn't long before WPIX hired him permanently and in the mid- to late-70s his goal was to get as much experience as he could. At the time WPIX was home to the New York Yankees, giving Carlucci a chance to work on Yankee games (and while being a Yankee fan) during some of the most exciting years in the history of the franchise. He was doing everything for WPIX, including learning how to be a technical director as well as, yes, operate graphics equipment.
It was a big thrill for me, he recalls of his time working on Yankee broadcasts. I had a chance to do everything, and it was a great place to work.
In 1980, after five years at WPIX, he would have his chance to go to CBS as an opening for a Chyron operator became available. He learned of the opportunity while working at Yankee Stadium when he heard someone had turned down the job.
I asked why they turned it down and it was because there was travel involved and I jumped out of my chair and called my brother who was at CBS News, he recalls. It was 1980 and I asked him who do I talk to? Who do I call?' And that's how I got the job and began a 36-year career as a Chyron operator.
Carlucci's long career in graphics allowed him to be part of the amazing developments that took place due to technical innovations like the move to Windows which transformed graphics devices into computer graphics devices.
I was never a big computer guy and I'm thinking, oh boy, I'm lost I'm done, he says. But that's when it totally changed, and it was a whole different technology. But the job was still the same.
That job, and where Carlucci excelled, was not just operating the graphics devices and making them jump and sing but rather anticipating and understanding what graphics are most important given the context of what is happening on the field of play.
A lot of operators would have no clue what the yardage to go was on third down and that's what I did best, he adds. And I would teach the people next to me who just got out of college how to listen to six different people at the same time and and put up graphics that made sense. But it was such a different process back then, it was much more manual, and I had to be able to anticipate what was going to happen.
When he joined CBS Sports, Carlucci found himself working on the NFL A game which back then featured Hall of Famer sportscasters Pat Summer
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
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...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
26/03/2026
Extron and Audio-Technica have announced that their Design Solutions devices, Ce...
26/03/2026
SPORTEL Asia took place March 24-25 at the Orchard Hotel Singapore, drawing 370 participants representing more than 220 companies from 35 countries. Approximate...
26/03/2026
LTN will demonstrate satellite-to-IP migration solutions for broadcasters, cable networks, MVPDs, and station groups at NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2100).
The C-Ban...
26/03/2026
The Seattle Mariners have partnered with Daktronics to install an upgraded outfi...
26/03/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) has awarded National Team Partner status to organizations and individuals across more than 100 countries and territories for the Esp...
26/03/2026
Telestream has announced expanded integration between its Vantage workflow platf...
26/03/2026
FOR-A Corporation has announced a partnership with Nippon TV and NVIDIA to distr...
26/03/2026
CBS Sports and the WNBA have expanded their partnership through a new long-term, multiplatform rights agreement. CBS Sports will feature up to 20 regular-season...
26/03/2026
Zac Brown Band will star in the Sunday Night Baseball show open on NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports announced. The open was filmed at American Family Field, home of ...
26/03/2026
Major League Baseball opens the 2026 season with nationally televised games across multiple media partners. Fans can visit MLB.com/Watch for a complete schedule...
26/03/2026
DIRECTV has announced an agreement to carry nine new MLB-operated team channels, covering the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers (Detroit SportsNet), Kansas City R...
26/03/2026
Nationals.TV, the Washington Nationals' local broadcast channel, is now avai...
26/03/2026
Starting Thursday, March 26, MLB.TV will be available on the ESPN App, giving fans access to more than 2,000 out-of-market regular season games. Fans can also r...
26/03/2026
Spotify's partnership with NAVER, Korea's leading digital platform, is built around one simple goal: making it easier for listeners in Korea to discover...
26/03/2026
Exclusive to ComposerCloud for first month
Sample library and virtual instrument gurus EastWest have announced the upcoming release of a new virtual drum i...
26/03/2026
Friday 27 March
Friday 27 March will mark Dynamic Range Day 2026, the annual day of online activity that was started in 2010 by mastering engineer Ian Sheph...
26/03/2026
Includes four separate instruments
Max Richter's SRM Sounds venture have just announced their fifth release, ASMR Choir. Captured at the main live room ...
26/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), has been tasked with administering the Sixth Presi...
26/03/2026
By Matt Klein
Hello to everyone reading this - whether you're a current YEP, HPA member, or just YEP-curious. I'm Matt Klein, one of the co-chairs of t...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
28 participating companies, from start-ups to blue-chips, lead the UK Group as part of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland presence across all the Halls at N...
26/03/2026
Arkona Unveils BLADE//planner and Major Usability Enhancements at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
New graphical configuration tool and...
26/03/2026
Bitfocus showcases complete control at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
Continuing development drives advances in security, availa...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Nevion introduces powerful new Panel Builder to enhance VideoIPath broadcast con...
26/03/2026
2026 Oscar Nominated Films Powered by Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton March 25, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio used on 27 of this year's no...
26/03/2026
Leader to present full suite of advanced Test & Measurement solutions at NAB Sho...
26/03/2026
Boston Conservatory to Present New England and Collegiate Premiere of Groundbrea...
26/03/2026
Thursday 26 March 2026
HBO Max included for Sky and NOW customers from 26 March...
26/03/2026
Thursday 26 March 2026
Sky Sets Iconic Costumes Dancing Together Like Never Before' in Brand CampaignTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy o...
26/03/2026
Wuppertal March 26, 2026
CS live Builds Future-Ready OB Van With Riedel MediorNet and hi Control SystemRiedel Communications today announced that Czech-based ...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
Have a Wish Worth Dying For? Netflix's First Korean YA Hor...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
The Truthers, Starring Jose Coronado and St phanie Magnin, Pre...
26/03/2026
Enhancements to Harmonic's Sports Streaming Solution Introduce Server-Side Multiview, Contextual Metadata-Driven Advertising, Dynamic In-Stream Ads and Robu...
26/03/2026
Open the report
Our 2025 report brings together results from 79 business magazine titles across 22 market sectors, published by 49 media owners. Over the year,...
26/03/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
26/03/2026
RT Commercial today announced Fiat as sponsor of The Louise Duffy Show on RT Radio 1, Weekdays 3pm 4pm.
The Louise Duffy Show is the home of daytime music...
26/03/2026
That gaming backlog won't clear itself - GeForce NOW is here to help. Stream the latest titles straight from the cloud across a variety of devices.
This we...
26/03/2026
Wayne, N.J., March 26, 2026 Phantom High-Speed announces the latest product li...
2024 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Charlie Carlucci Profile: A Legacy Unlike Any Other as a CBS Sports Graphics Operator By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
