ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh Durham Joins Local Initiative To Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in North Carolina Media
ABC 11 will work with the North Carolina Media Equity Project, a Pilot at Elon University
ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham joins the NC Local News Workshop at Elon University in the North Carolina Media Equity Project, a pilot program launched to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in North Carolina media.
The project grew out of national and local conversations stemming from the Black Lives Matter movement. It brings media organizations together “as a learning cohort and support network” to be more inclusive when serving North Carolina residents who are Black, Native American, Latino, LGBTQ, and other diverse groups who lack representation in media.
“Our team is excited to be part of this groundbreaking project and we know we will learn and grow from the experience,” said Rob Elmore, President and General Manager, ABC11/WTVD-TV. “We are committed to ensuring that the content and culture at our station reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve here in North Carolina.”
ABC11’s participants who meet with the cohort regularly include news director Bervette Carree, director of Community Engagement Monica Barnes, manager of Operations and Business planning Kaila Mitchell and president and general manager Rob Elmore.
The station’s mission is to inform, serve and reflect the diverse communities it serves. At the start of February, ABC11 announced its month-long exclusive Black History Month content, which included a weeklong series paying homage to North Carolina’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU), a “vaccine equity” town hall addressing disparities in communities of color, and numerous specials that focus on the Black culture and experience.
ABC11 is joined by six other media organizations who will gather in four quarterly sessions and have agreed to work together in a long-term commitment to change internal practices and culture across their respective organizations.
About ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham The only local news station with three downtown newsrooms (Raleigh/Fayetteville/Durham), ABC11 Eyewitness News is the No. 1 morning newscast, with the station providing 47.5 hours of local news every week, serving more than 1 million households in a 23-county area in North Carolina and Virginia. Eyewitness News also provides news, weather and sports information 24 hours a day on ABC11.com, the ABC11 mobile news app and the new connected TV app available on Roku, Fire, Apple, and Android TVs. ABC11 WTVD is one of eight ABC Owned Stations as part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution division. For more information, go to http://www.abc11.com.
The Premiere of ‘Our America: The HBCU Experience’ Kicks Off ABC11’S Exclusive ‘Black History Month’ Content Airing Across Its Broadcast and Available on ABC11 North Carolina Connected TV Apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku—Including The Rebroadcast of ‘Our America: Living While Black’ on Hulu
Photo Courtesy of ABC11/WTVD-TV “Our America: The HBCU Experience” L-R North Carolina A&T University Blue & Gold Marching Machine, Shaw University, A&T University Four Monument, St. Augustine’s University aerial view
ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh Durham premieres “Our America: The HBCU Experience,”Feb. 1-5 (5:30 p.m. EST),a weeklong series featuring North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as part of the station’s exclusive Black History month content. ABC11’s “Black History Month: Past, Present, Future” month-long content celebrates Black culture with multiple features airing every week on ABC11 and available to stream on ABC11’s connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku. Additionally, the groundbreaking five-part docuseries, “Our America: Living While Black,” is available to stream on the station’s connected TV apps and Hulu.
The “HBCU Experience” special will spotlight one HBCU each day, beginning Monday, Feb. 1, through Friday, Feb. 5 (5:30 p.m.EDT), in its newscast with an extended version available exclusively on the ABC11 News App and ABC11’s connected TV apps.
Below is a snapshot of ABC11’s “Black History Month: Past, Present, Future,” month-long content.
Week 1:
“Our America: The HBCU Experience” shines a light on the history, legacies, resilience and impact the historically Black colleges and universities of North Carolina A&T University, Shaw University, St. Augustine’s University, North Carolina Central University and Fayetteville State University have had on Black students, alumni and the community.
Week 2:
History of ABC11“Within These Walls” takes a look at the Black history of ABC11, including Ervin Hester, the first African American news anchor in the Southeast.
Pauli Murray is a civil rights activist who led change in North Carolina. Murray was the first black woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. Murray gave her first communion as a priest at the church in Chapel Hill, where her grandmother (a slave) was baptized.
Black Negro Leagues across the United States are now being honored by Major League Baseball. We speak with the stepdaughter of one of the greatest Negro League players in history, Buck Leonard.
Week 3:
Today’s Change Makers takes a look at social movements, like Black Lives Matter, and the impacts social activists, like Kerwin Pittman, are making in our communities today. We will also speak to 12-year-old Elijah Lee, who marches for awareness of children who suffer in silence after they are victims of child abuse.
Rabbi Sandra Lawson is thefirst openly gay female Black rabbi, now the head of religious studies at Elon University in North Carolina.
Freeman Round House Museum features artifacts that depict the culture and contributions of African Americans to the history and development in Wilson, North Carolina. Freeman was a noted local African American stonemason who built homes to help alleviate the housing shortage for GIs returning from the war.
Week 4:
Infrastructure Racism, Part 1, investigates how urban freeways divided neighborhoods in the South. The Durham Freeway was intentionally built through Durham’s Hayti district, destroying the once vibrant community. From 1949-1973 the U.S. Government bulldozed 2,500 neighborhoods in 993 cities, displacing one million people.
Infrastructure Racism, Part 2, investigates redlining that existed in Durham and the lasting impact on low-income and minority neighborhoods in one of the South’s largest cities. The areas that were once in red districts are now some of the poorest areas in Durham.
Infrastructure Racism, Part 3, investigates how Raleigh’s growth leads to gentrification in the city’s low-income southeast. While Raleigh’s suburban neighborhoods have diversified in the number of non-Black residents moving in, South Park in southeast Raleigh has had more white residents moving in since 2000. On average, people in South Park make $75,000 more than their neighbors.
All stories highlighted will air within the newscast of ABC11 and available via streaming and VOD on the station’s connected TV apps.
About ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham The only local news station with three downtown newsrooms (Raleigh/Fayetteville/Durham), ABC11 Eyewitness News provides 47.5 hours of local news every week, serving more than 1 million households in a 23-county area in North Carolina and Virginia. Eyewitness News also provides news, weather and sports information 24 hours a day on ABC11.com, the ABC11 mobile news app and the new connected TV app available on Roku, Fire, Apple, and Android TVs. ABC11 WTVD is one of eight ABC Owned Stations as part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution division. For more information, go to http://www.abc11.com.
ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh Durham Names Bervette Carree As Station’s News Director
She Joins the Station on Jan. 11, 2021, from WXIA-TV, NBC’s Affiliate in Atlanta
Bervette Carree has been named ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh Durham’s news director, effective Jan. 11, 2021, announced today by Rob Elmore, president and general manager, WTVD-TV, to whom she will report. Carree is an accomplished and award-winning journalist with a career that spans nearly 20 years working in various top 10 television markets and cable news networks, including CNN.
“I am thrilled to welcome Bervette back home to North Carolina and especially to joining our family at ABC11,” said Rob Elmore, president and general manager, WTVD-TV. “During our search, it was clear that Bervette’s leadership style, combined with her knowledge across all platforms in top markets, was exemplary. Additionally, her passion and track record of producing fair and balanced content that focuses on all community voices makes her the ideal choice to lead our news team’s mission to reflect our communities within the content we produce.”
Carree is joining ABC11 from WXIA-TV, NBC’s affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia, where she has been an executive producer since 2019. She also managed the “Voices For Equality” franchise, which includes content focused on underrepresented voices within the community.
Carree is also a North Carolina native. Before working at WXIA-TV, she was an executive producer at WGHP-TV in High Point, North Carolina, where she played an integral role in revamping a four-and-a-half-hour morning show.
“It is a privilege and an honor to return home to join an esteemed group of journalists who are committed to serving the community on-air and behind the scenes – especially during these unprecedented and transformative times,” said Carree. “I look forward to working with the team and building on the established journalistic excellence at ABC11 Eyewitness News.”
Her previous North Carolina professional stints include producing the news at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, WCNC-TV in Charlotte, and WITN-TV in Greenville. Carree also produced at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
On the national front, Carree was a lead producer at CNN and HLN in Atlanta, covering news events such as the Ebola outbreak, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Carree is a proud HBCU graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. She is a mentor to many journalism students and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the Radio Television Digital News Association.
About ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham The only local news station with three downtown newsrooms (Raleigh/Fayetteville/Durham), ABC11 Eyewitness News provides 45.5 hours of local news every week, serving more than 1 million households in a 23-county area in North Carolina and Virginia. Eyewitness News also provides news, weather and sports information 24 hours a day on ABC11.com, the ABC11 mobile news app and the new connected TV app available on Roku, Fire, Apple, and Android TVs. ABC11 WTVD is one of eight ABC Owned Stations as part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution division.
ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh Durham presents a 30-minute special, “Eyewitness News Investigates: The Housing Crisis,” airing Thursday, Sept. 17 (5:30-6:00 p.m. EDT). The special takes an in-depth look at the housing crisis in Central North Carolina with stories of families’ struggles and successes of renting and home ownership amidst the pandemic, and the streamlined services aimed at helping those in need.
With rapid population growth being a key factor in driving up rental and property prices in North Carolina, housing inventory is extremely low, causing lower income individuals and families struggling to get their dream home or even pay the bills to maintain a roof over their head.
“Eyewitness News Investigates” introduces us to the McLee family—a family of seven living in a motel, struggling to pay their bills due to loss of work as the result of COVID-19; Christina Beltran, a single mother who lost her job during the pandemic and is now homeless; and Asia and Chanel Prince, a young family of four buying their first home. Along with their stories, WTVD shares tips and services that are aimed at helping residents ranging from housing assistance and homeless services to getting free meals.
Anchored by Tisha Powell and Joel Brown, “Eyewitness News Investigates: The Housing Crisis” airs Thursday, Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. EDT, and is sponsored by North State Bank. Viewers can stream on abc11.com, ABC11 North Carolina news app, and the new ABC11 connected TV apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.
About ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham is an ABC owned television station serving the Research Triangle Region of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Fayetteville, an area collectively known for its technology companies and scholarly institutions. In 2017, WTVD transformed into a multiplatform newsroom as the first stations selected for the UNC Knight-Lenfest Newsroom Initiative, modernizing the station and maximizing its reach and engagement across linear broadcast and streaming video on demand. ABC11 is proudly the broadcast partner for the Raleigh Christmas Parade, the largest local event in the region, and the news gathering partner with the News & Observer, the region’s paper of record.
ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh Durham Addresses Inequity in Education in an On-Air Special Followed by a Live Virtual Town Hall
‘The Racial Divide: Inequity in Education’Half-Hour SpecialAirs Thursday, July 23 at 5:30 p.m. EDT, and the One-Hour Virtual Town Hall at 6:00 p.m. EDT
Exclusively Stream Town Hall Live at ABC11.com, ABC11’s Facebook Live and YouTube and ABC11’s connected TV apps on Amazon FireTV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku
ABC11/WTVD -TV Raleigh Durham presents a 30-minute special, “The Racial Divide: Inequity in Education,”Thursday, July 23 (5:30 – 6:00 p.m. EDT), with continued coverage livestreamed in a one-hour town hall live at ABC11.com (6:00-7:00 p.m. EDT). Hosted by ABC11 anchors Joel Brown and Amber Rupinta, the special takes a look at racial inequity in education and other challenges facing underrepresented communities that have been heightened during the pandemic.
The 30-minute special takes an in-depth look at racial inequity in education; digital divide, which addresses the hardship in digital learning; food insecurities among economically disadvantaged students; and racial disparities surmounting in Latino communities. Historically, these issues have existed in communities of color, however, the special will examine how the pandemic has exacerbated these difficulties.
Brown and Rupinta will interview numerous parents, administrators and nonprofit organizations, who are coping and attempting to manage the rising needs of the community, in particular its children.
Immediately following the special, ABC11 anchor Joel Brown will host a livestreamed, virtual town hall on ABC11.com at 6:00 p.m. The town hall will feature local experts, who will continue the conversation on inequity in education, and the financial and mental health impact on families in communities of color.
The panel will include the following:
Dr. Nerissa Price, psychiatrist, joins the panel to discuss the impact on children’s mental health.
Letha Muhammad is the director at Education Justice Alliance.
Turquoise Parker is a third-grade teacher at Durham Public Schools and is the current VP of Durham Association of Educators.
Tru Pettigrew is a diversity and inclusion expert speaker and author of “Millennials Revealed.”
The one-hour virtual town hall will take place on Thursday, July 23 at 6:00 p.m. EDT, and exclusively stream live on ABC11’s Facebook Live, YouTube, ABC11’s app, and ABC11’s connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Roku.
About ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham is an ABC owned television station serving the Research Triangle Region of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Fayetteville, an area collectively known for its technology companies and scholarly institutions. In 2017, WTVD transformed into a multiplatform newsroom as the first stations selected for the UNC Knight-Lenfest Newsroom Initiative, modernizing the station and maximizing its reach and engagement across linear broadcast and streaming video on demand. ABC11 is proudly the broadcast partner for the Raleigh Christmas Parade, the largest local event in the region, and the news gathering partner with the News & Observer, the region’s paper of record.
News Executive Rob Elmore Named President and General Manager of ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham
Photo credit: ABC*
Award-winning local news executive Rob Elmore has been named the president and general manager of ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham, announced Wendy McMahon, president, ABC Owned Television Stations, to whom he will report. In this new role, Mr. Elmore has overall management responsibility of the station’s operations and its ancillary businesses.
Elmore is a seasoned news executive bringing extensive experience leading teams in the multiplatform space including ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles which serves the second largest market in the United States. As the vice president of KABC’s news division for the past five years, Elmore has helped cement the station’s status as Southern California’s leading source for local news and information, expanding coverage to serve audiences across broadcast, digital and social platforms. Prior to KABC, Elmore spent 17 years at WTVD where he held the position of news director serving the Research Triangle Region of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Fayetteville with the most trusted news information, entertaining content and inspiring storytelling.
“Rob has been an extraordinary and transformational leader for the ABC owned television stations, building next-generation newsrooms at ABC11 in Raleigh-Durham and ABC7 in Los Angeles,” said McMahon. “Rob leads with a sharp vision for modernization and an uncompromised commitment to our communities and audiences. As ABC11 continues to press forward in innovation and growth to serve our viewers across even more platforms, we’re thrilled for Rob’s leadership as he returns to his Raleigh-Durham roots.”
“After a great five years in Los Angeles, returning to central North Carolina and the team at ABC11 in many ways feels like a homecoming. I spent one of the most formative periods of my life and career in Raleigh-Durham, during which time I came to know and love the resiliency and the vibrancy of the community,” said Elmore. “Especially with the health and economic impact of the pandemic felt so broadly, there is never a more important time for local news to support our community and business partners by keeping our audiences informed and connected. ABC11 has been there for our viewers for every step of the journey, and I’m thrilled to be coming back to this amazing team as we see our community back onto its feet.”
At KABC, Elmore specialized in creating and executing content and format strategies to increase multiplatform viewership and engagement, helping to secure ABC7’s position as the No. 1 station in the country on digital and social. Most recently, KABC was honored in 2020 with four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for Overall Excellence, Breaking News Coverage, Excellence in Video, and Best Newscast in large-market television in Region 2 of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA).
As news director of WTVD, Elmore spearheaded the opening of the first and only downtown Raleigh street-level studio, The Raleigh Eyewitness News Center, in 2005. In 2008, his team was the first in the country to deploy a live broadband mobile unit, Breaking News 1, for spot news and severe weather coverage. In 2011, he and the team created the Happening Now at 5 p.m. format, which has been replicated at local stations across the country.
Before joining ABC Owned Television Stations, Elmore was news director and assistant news director at News 10 NBC in Rochester, New York. Earlier in his career, he was a news producer at WSMV in Nashville, Tennessee, where produced the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts; and WHAM-TV in Rochester, New York, where he produced the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. He began his television career as a reporter at WWNY-TV in Watertown, New York, during summer and college breaks.
Elmore graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication.
About ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham is an ABC owned television station serving the Research Triangle Region of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Fayetteville, an area collectively known for its technology companies and scholarly institutions. In 2017, WTVD transformed into a multiplatform newsroom as the first stations selected for the UNC Knight-Lenfest Newsroom Initiative, modernizing the station and maximizing its reach and engagement across linear broadcast and streaming video on demand. ABC11 is proudly the broadcast partner for the Raleigh Christmas Parade, the largest local event in the region, and the news gathering partner with the News & Observer, the region’s paper of record.
About ABC Owned Television Stations The ABC Owned Television Stations includes WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. The eight owned stations reach 23% of all U.S. television households. The stations are consistently market leaders in multiplatform local news, collectively No. 1 in local news among Adults 25-54 for 11 consecutive broadcast seasons, and in overall digital audience, video consumption and social reach and engagement. In 2018, the Stations further expanded their content portfolio and reach with the launch of the digital-first national lifestyle brand Localish that in its first year produced over 650 pieces of digital video content, totaling more than 240 million video views. The Live Well broadcast channel was rebranded as Localish in February 2020, delivering locally sourced yet nationally relevant storytelling as long-form linear programming to more than 14 million viewers across America.
