WRAL history

WRAL-TV can trace its history to 1939, when Capitol Broadcasting Company founder A.J. Fletcher and son Fred saw a television demonstration at the World’s Fair in New York City.

WRAL-FM signed on for the first time on September 6, 1946 at 95.3, originally as WCOY-FM, with an ERP of 1,000 watts., quickly changing the callsign to WRAL-FM soon after.

In 1948, Jesse Helms became the news director.

Famous Bob Inskeep (FBI) started as morning host in 1975.

On December 10, 1989, an early morning winter ice storm caused the tower it shared with WRAL-TV near Auburn, North Carolina, along with a separate tower for WPTF-TV (now WRDC) to collapse, ultimately losing its grandfather clause in the process.

On December 20, 2002, the station became the first licensed commercial radio station on the east coast to broadcast using HD Radio.

On Monday, June 27, 2005, WRAL became the first commercial station in North Carolina and only the second commercial station in the nation (WUSN in Chicago was the first) to utilize the "multicasting" capabilities of HD Radio technology to broadcast multiple digital channels.

On August 22, 2009, WRAL-FM started to air the Rick Dees Weekly Top 30 Countdown show on Saturdays at 7 am – 10 am.

On March 5, 2013, morning radio personality Bill Jordan announced his retirement after 23 years with the station.

On July 28, 2014, "The Gene and Julie Show" began airing, with husband and wife Gene and Julie Gates.

In 2015, the couple won the Marconi Award for Large Market Personality of the Year.