Wilbur Brann gets first hand view of tower construction

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Engineering Director Wilbur Brann inspecting construction of the new WRAL Tall Tower in 1990. Brann oversaw the mammoth construction project for CBC.

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Aerial video of the new Tall Tower and building under construction

WRAL-TV’s Tall Tower collapsed in 1989 due to uneven thawing of ice on the tower and supporting structure. This is aerial video taken from SKY 5 showing construction underway for the new transmitter building and the tall tower. Note: part of the video is corrupted. The tower is located in Auburn, near Garner.
Tall Tower Good Luck Charm

Engineering director Wilbur Brann places a penny beneath the first section of the WRAL-TV tower in 1990. The penny is a traditional good luck charm for new towers under construction.
Wilbur Brann WRAL Chief Engineer

Wilbur Brann started at WRAL as Chief Engineer in 1984. Brann oversaw the major engineering transitions from the analog era to the digital. These eras included many firsts in broadcast engineering, including the first satellite truck for news gathering. Wilbur Brann recalls the day when the WRAL-TV tall tower collapsed after an ice storm and what it took to build another tower.