More Highlights for WRAL Tower Lighting

• Making the Season Merry, Festive and Safe: Behind the Scenes of the WRAL Tower Lighting Special

  “Producing the WRAL Tower Lighting is my favorite assignment every year. Every year, it’s amazing how many people from various departments come together for this project.” – WRAL-TV News Producer Kelly Riner WRAL-TV supersized the tower lighting for 2020, combining
• WRAL-TV Tower Now Aglow for Holidays

  WRAL-TV’s tower became a beacon for the holidays as is annual tradition on Thursday, December 1, 2016.  The first day of December always marks the WRAL Tower Lighting.  WRAL-TV Anchors Debra Morgan & David Crabtree hosted the event alongside WRAL-TV
• Light Up That Tower!

  Today, December 1, we celebrate the annual WRAL tower lighting for Christmas. During the evening newscast, that giant metal structure behind the building will be transformed into a dazzling tower of power Christmas tree. Over the years, elements of entertainment
• WRAL Tower Lighting 1982 with music

  The annual tradition of “lighting the tower” on December 1, started in 1959. Over 3000 colorful lightbulbs attached to the tower are turned on near the end of the newscast. This 1982 video shows the moment the lights are turned on. SKY 5 circled the tower in spectacular fashion revealing how magnificent the lights look from the air. Flying SKY5 was pilot Mike Allen.

• The origin of the Christmas Tower Lighting byScottie Stephenson

  The annual lighting of the WRAL Tower on December 1 transforms the structure into an enchanting Christmas tree!

  The late Scottie Stephenson, a long time CBC employee who rose to the rank of vice president, shares how CBC Founder, A.J. Fletcher, came up with the idea of adding a bit of sparkle to the holiday season.

  This video is part of a conversation with Scottie that was produced in 1996.