More Oral History Interviews

• Jim Goodmon talks about the Durham Bulls Baseball Team

  Jim Goodmon, CEO of Capitol Broadcasting Company, is interviewed by WRAL Sports Anchor Jeff Gravely about the modern era of the the Durham Bulls baseball team. Much of it has to do with “regionalism.”

  The Durham Bulls, America’s most famous Minor League Baseball team, is regarded as one of the premier franchises in the industry. Since Capitol Broadcasting Company bought the team in 1991, the organization has separated itself from its peers, thriving on local, regional and national stages. Under Capitol Broadcasting’s direction, the Bulls have been at the center of the revitalization of downtown Durham, never ceasing to contribute to The Triangle community.

  Watch and listen to this fascinating interview explaining all the twists and turns of the Durham Bulls!

  Photographer: Jay Jennings
  Circa 2015.

• Jim Goodmon interview for CBC History Project

  Jim Goodmon learned the business of broadcasting at the knee of his grandfather A.J. Fletcher—founder of Capitol Broadcasting Company. Goodmon observed station operations carefully and learned well, and in turn–A.J. Fletcher recognized his grandson’s potential. This close, early relationship laid the groundwork for the future leadership of the company.

  He holds a fierce dedication to the public interest, and all CBC divisions not only meet but exceed industry requirements and standards. In 1998 he was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters. Known as the Gore Commission, this prestigious panel recommended public interest obligations for American broadcasters as they made the transition to digital television.

  Goodmon led CBC and its stations into the digital age, gaining industry-wide recognition as a visionary whose stations constantly pushed the boundaries of technology. In 1996 the FCC granted the nation’s first experimental HDTV license to WRAL-TV, which was the first in a long line of CBC technological achievements in the field of high definition television.

  Jim Goodmon’s interests go well beyond broadcasting. Under his leadership, Capitol Broadcasting Company has expanded into real estate—developing the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham and turning it into an award-winning example of entrepreneurial restoration.

  Watch and listen to this free-wheeling conversation between Jim Goodmon and CBC Director of Special Projects John Harris.

  Photographer: Jay Jennings
  Recorded December 11, 2017

• Phyllis Parish Howard Director of Local Production

  Phyllis Parish Howard, Director of Local Production, joined WRAL in 1982. Her desire to work in television started at an early age. It all started with a letter written to Carol Burnett, star of the immensely popular CBS variety program “The Carol Burnett Show.” Burnett wrote back to Phyllis – then ten years old, encouraging her to follow her dream. Phyllis took her advice.

  At WRAL, she began as Promotion Coordinator, promoted to Promotion Producer, then Special Projects Producer. Now she is Director of Local Production managing commercial production and local programming.

  She has been involved in a wide range of projects including WRAL’s “Save Our Sounds” campaign. Phyllis also wrote and co-produced “Troubled Rivers” a documentary that investigated toxic pollution in the Neuse River. Other community outreach projects include “For the Children” campaign resulting in the EMMY award winning special “NC’s Epidemic of Overweight Children”. The list of productions continues with “A Vision, A Voice…40 Years of Service” honoring WRAL’s 40th anniversary, “The Annual Raleigh Christmas Parade,” “NC Symphony Pops in the Park,” “Crisis in Kosovo,” “Coats for Kids,” “Smart Start for Kids,” just to name a few. Many of these projects can be viewed on this website.

  One of the hallmarks of Capitol Broadcasting is its desire to serve the community. Phyllis and her team work at the core of those projects.

• John Conway General Manager CBC New Media

  John Conway is General Manager of digital platforms for CBC New Media. Its flagship website, WRAL.com, is the most visited local media site in the North Carolina and is consistently ranked as a top rated television news website in the nation.

  Conway first joined Capitol Broadcasting Company in 1995 as the first managing editor of what was then called WRAL OnLine. He has served as WRAL.com’s product development director and creative services director.

  Conway is a 1985 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received a B.A. in journalism. He has worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for newspapers in Raleigh, Greensboro and Orlando. He has held administrative positions with the UNC School of Journalism, including assistant dean for distance education and executive education.

  Watch and listen to find out how CBC uses New Media now and anticipates its usage in the future.

• Bobbie Battista WRAL News anchor

  Barbara Ann “Bobbie” Battista was a producer, on-air host and primary evening news anchor at WRAL-TV from 1974 to 1981.

  Battista joined WRAL-TV in 1974 as a secretary, but she quickly convinced station management to put her on the air in 1976. She produced and anchored the WRAL morning news and other special programming until 1977, when she joined Charlie Gaddy on the station’s 6:00 and 11:00 o’clock news. Gaddy and Battista formed the first male-female anchor team in the Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville television market.

  Over the next four years WRAL achieved ratings dominance and in late 1981 Bobbie answered Ted Turner’s call to join a start-up cable network known as CNN. She was hired as one of the original anchors on CNN Headline News, but by 1986 Battista moved to CNN’s flagship cable channel where she became one of the network’s most recognizable stars.

  During this time at CNN Battista also anchored a daily program for CNN International, making her the only anchor in CNN history to work at all three CNN networks. In 1998 Battista was chosen to host television’s first daily interactive talk show – Talkback Live.

  Bobbie was interviewed by WRAL News anchor David Crabtree in 2006 for the 50th Anniversary of WRAL-TV. The video is “raw footage” from one camera angle and had not been edited showing the other camera angles. That is why you will see quick camera adjustments.