Gold Circle

The Gold Circle honors media professionals who began their careers in television at least 50 years ago, either in a performing, creative, technical or administrative role within the industry or in an area related to television such as TV journalism education, advertising, promotion, and public relations.

Over the course of their 50-year career, they must also have made a significant contribution to the Midsouth Chapter.

The Midsouth Chapter of NATAS has been honoring and celebrating our Gold Circle members since 2025.

Gold Circle Honoree

Silver Circle

The Silver Circle honors media professionals who began their careers in television at least 25 years ago, either in a performing, creative, technical or administrative role within the industry or in an area related to television such as TV journalism education, advertising, promotion, and public relations.

Over the course of their 25-year career, they must also have made a significant contribution to the Midsouth Chapter.

The Midsouth Chapter of NATAS has been honoring and celebrating our Silver Circle members since 1994.

Silver Circle Honorees

2025 Gold Circle Honoree

1999 Silver Circle Honoree

Bob Mueller

Bob Mueller is celebrating 50 years in broadcasting. He’s spent 45 of those years at WKRN News 2. He is currently co-anchor of News 2 at 5, 6, and 10 p.m., and host of the Sunday morning political show “This Week with Bob Mueller.”

During this time, Bob’s reporting skills have earned him numerous honors and distinctions. He is a 10-time Emmy® Award-winning journalist, and a member of the NATAS Silver Circle.

He is also a recipient of the coveted George Foster Peabody National Award for investigative reporting and has been honored with eight National Telly Awards and six National Communicator Awards.

Bob has also received awards from the Associated Press, United Press International, and the RTDNA.

In 2018, Bob was inducted into the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame.

Bob began his career in broadcasting in high school, working as a radio news reporter/disc jockey. He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, where he received a B.A. in Fine Arts. He continued pursuing his radio interests in college, gaining more experience in the field as a news and sports reporter, and eventually as the station’s news director. He got his start in television as a reporter, producer, and anchor for WMBD-TV in Peoria, Illinois. Bob worked for WTVC-TV in Chattanooga, where he was an investigative and state government reporter and anchor. Bob joined WKRN in 1980 as a field reporter covering the State Capitol.

Bob has the distinction of bringing his viewers some major historical events. He covered the first space shuttle launch in 1981. He was there when President Jimmy Carter returned to Plains, Georgia, after leaving the White House. He was the first reporter to talk with Jimmy Carter about the release of the hostages in Iran. Besides covering several Democratic and Republican Presidential Conventions and two Presidential Inaugurations, Bob has brought his audiences one on one interviews with Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Al Gore, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Bob is also recognized as one of Middle Tennessee’s most active members in helping his community. He has worked helping feed the hungry with Second Harvest Food Bank for the past 30 years and was a member of their Board of Trust for six years.

He has worked with the Boy Scouts for 17 years and serves as a member of the Scout’s marketing committee. He serves as a member of the advisory board for NAMI (Nashville Mental Illness Organization).

Bob also has worked with country music singer Vince Gill on his charity/celebrity golf tournament. He also has been instrumental in raising awareness and funding through his coverage of The Vinny. So far, The Vinny Golf Tournament has raised over $5 million.

For 25 years, Bob has hosted his own golf tournament. The Bob Mueller M.S. Celebrity Challenge has raised over $1,500,000 to fight M.S. Bob has also been a member of the Nashville Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Board of Trust for the past 20 years.

Bob also served for three years as a member of the Board of Trust of Rocketown of Nashville. A youth music venue, skate park and after-school facility. A dream of contemporary Christian singer Michael W. Smith that became reality.

Bob’s continuing commitment to the community earned him the honor of being installed the Highland High School Hall of Fame in 2009 as well as four TEA School Bell Awards.

Bob and his wife Nancy have three children and three grandchildren.

Bob Mueller is celebrating 50 years in broadcasting, with 45 at WKRN News 2, where he co-anchors evening newscasts and hosts “This Week with Bob Mueller.” A 10-time Emmy® winner and Peabody recipient, Bob’s distinguished career includes interviews with presidents and coverage of major events like the first space shuttle launch. Inducted into the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame, he’s also dedicated to community service, raising millions through charity golf tournaments and volunteering with Second Harvest, Boy Scouts, and NAMI. Bob and his wife, Nancy, have three children and three grandchildren.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Scott Couch

Scott Couch's work in broadcasting began at age 16 on a radio station in his hometown of Glasgow, Kentucky. In short order, Scott was placing stories about fires and deadly crashes on the Associated Press wire service in Louisville. While doing his radio job, he worked his way through college at Western Kentucky University where he majored in journalism.

During his last year of college, the head of WKU's journalism department recommended Scott for a weekend job in the newsroom at WSM Radio in Nashville. That turned into a full-time job a year later. His time at the Grand Ole Opry station gave Scott a chance to cover country music and crime along with city and state government. Those experiences helped Scott make the jump to television news at WTVF, the CBS affiliate in Nashville in 1990. After 14 years reporting and almost ten years as a weekend anchor, Scott became the evening anchor at WPSD-TV, the NBC station in Paducah, Kentucky in 2004.

In 2007, Scott returned to Nashville where he continues to anchor the evening newscasts at WZTV, the Fox affiliate in Nashville. Since 2016, he has also hosted a weekly political talk show called "Nashville in Focus." Scott is a four-time Emmy® Award winner and has also won awards from the Associated Press and United Press International. He has extensive experience covering the courts. In 2000, Scott witnessed Tennessee’s first execution in 40 years. In 2007, he witnessed the state’s first execution by electrocution since 1960. Scott also anchored Tennessee's first ever live, gavel-to-gavel television coverage of a high-profile murder trial. Scott is married to Dana and has two children, Caitlin and Carter. His favorite title is Dad.

Scott Couch began broadcasting at 16 in Glasgow, Kentucky, and studied journalism at Western Kentucky University. His career spans radio at WSM in Nashville, TV reporting at WTVF, and evening anchoring at WPSD-TV and now WZTV, where he also hosts "Nashville in Focus." A four-time Emmy® winner, Scott is known for extensive court coverage, including live broadcasts of high-profile trials and witnessing historic Tennessee executions. He has received awards from the AP and UPI. Scott is married to Dana, has two children, Caitlin and Carter, and cherishes his role as a father.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Martin J. Fisher

Martin Fischer has spent over four decades shaping the landscape of television, music programming, and live event production. Since 2017, he has served as Vice President of Production at Opry Entertainment Group, where he has executive produced hundreds of episodes of original programming and led the development of a prolific in-house digital content team. Under his leadership, Opry Entertainment has produced more than 30 series for Circle Television, along with network specials for NBC, Fox and PBS. He has also served as Executive Producer of the Americana Music Honors & Awards since 2011.

Before joining Opry Entertainment, Martin spent over 30 years as President and co-founder of High Five Entertainment, a company he co-launched in 1983 after graduating from USC’s School of Cinema. In the early years, he produced more than 300 music videos before transitioning into longform television, earning network credentials with Garth Brooks’ first two TV specials for NBC. Over the years, he has produced major specials and series for FOX, CBS, NBC, HBO, and CMT, working with top talent like Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Wynonna Judd, Michael Bolton, and Celine Dion.

High Five’s move to Nashville in the mid-1990s deepened Martin’s relationship with the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium brands. He produced over 361 episodes of “Opry Live,” as well as serving as Executive Producer on the recent primetime network celebration “Opry 100: A Live Celebration” on NBC. He also oversaw music series like “At the Ryman,” “Invitation Only,” and “Noteworthy at the Opry,” along with the emotional post-flood reopening special, “Country Comes Home: An Opry Celebration.”

Beyond country music, Martin’s portfolio spans diverse genres and formats—from the syndicated outdoor show “Secrets of the Hunt” to the cult-favorite “Pass Time” on Speed Channel. His work has taken him around the world, producing more than 30 PBS music specials filmed internationally in Germany, Ireland, and the U.K.

Martin's productions have earned him numerous accolades, including four Mid-South Regional Emmy® Awards, two CMA and two CMT Video of the Year Awards, two Dove Awards, the Bronze Rose at the Rose d’Or Festival, and two Grammy® nominations.

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the son of a German diplomat, Martin holds dual U.S.–German citizenship. He has made Nashville his home for more than three decades, where he lives with his wife Dana, an interior designer. They have two adult children, Sam and Georgia. Martin remains deeply committed to his community, having served as Board President and longtime advisor to the W.O. Smith School of Music, a nonprofit close to his heart.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Becky Magura

Becky Magura has served as president and CEO of Nashville PBS since September 2021. An established leader in the PBS system, she has more than 40 years of experience in management, strategic leadership, production, and educational engagement in public media.

Magura is a native Tennessean who resides in Nashville. She holds B.S. and M.A. degrees in education, with an emphasis in communications, from Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tenn. Magura is a skilled leader in strategic partnerships and change management. She also has decades of experience in television production as an on-air host, producer, and videographer. Magura was previously president and CEO of WCTE PBS in Cookeville, Tenn., where she began her career as an audio technician and producer in 1982.

Early in Magura’s tenure at Nashville PBS, she led the launch of two new 24/7 broadcast channels, WNPT2 WORLD Channel and WNPT4 Create TV; two new regional series, A Slice of the Community and Clean Slate With Becky Magura; as well as the creation and implementation of a comprehensive three-year strategic plan.

In 2024, Magura and the Nashville PBS team successfully navigated a full brand transition from NPT to Nashville PBS, including a campus refresh, a magazine and a new OTT ATSC 3.0 channel in partnership with Sinclair. In early 2025, Nashville PBS established a 24/7 ALL ARTS digital channel with WNET in New York.

Magura serves as chair of the Tennessee Public Television Council and has received numerous awards, including Nashville/Midsouth Regional Emmys®, Tennessee Governor’s Award for Excellence in Early Foundations, and the Cumberland Business Journal’s Ovation Award for Community Service. She was also selected as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.

Magura is currently serving on the American Public Television (APT) board and public television’s Major Market Group (MMG) executive board. She previously served six years on the national PBS board of directors, including the PBS executive board and served as chair of the PBS Interconnection Committee. Her other national board service includes the Association for Public Television Stations (APTS) board, National Telecommunications Association (NETA) executive board, and the Small Station Association executive board.

Magura believes strongly in collaborative station productions and supporting independent producers to develop a broader audience connection through public media. She and the Nashville PBS team have been actively producing and curating new content such as Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around, Facing the Laughter: Minnie Pearl, Ear to the Common Ground, Have Guitar Will Travel, Volunteer Woodworker, Made in the West, and Down the Duck with John Guider. Previous productions Magura stewarded for national distribution include Bluegrass Underground, Barnegie Hall, Songwriting with Soldiers, and Jammin’ at Hippie Jack’s.

Committed to lifelong learning and the use of public media for K-12 education, Magura has successfully served as the liaison for the Tennessee PBS At-Home Learning Collaborative in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education and all six Tennessee public television stations.

Magura was named a 2021 recipient of the PBS C. Scott Elliott Development Professional of the Year Award and completed the Public Media Diversity Leaders Initiative, a program of the Riley Institute at Furman University. She was a member of Leadership Nashville’s class of 2024.

In February 2025, Magura became the inaugural recipient of the Patrick Butler National Advocacy Award in recognition of her work raising the profile of the impact of local stations in communities large and small throughout the nation and in cultivating relationships and support for public broadcasting within the Tennessee congressional delegation and state legislature. She was named to the Public Media Women in Leadership’s board in May 2025 and was also selected for 2025 Public Media Executive Editorial Integrity and Leadership Initiative fellowship developed by the Poynter Institute

Becky Magura, president and CEO of Nashville PBS since 2021, brings 40+ years of public media experience. A Tennessee native, she’s led major projects including new broadcast channels, Nashville PBS’s rebranding, and award-winning productions. Previously president of WCTE PBS, Magura has received multiple Emmys® and national accolades like the 2025 Patrick Butler National Advocacy Award. She has served on boards including PBS, APT, and MMG, and champions K-12 education through initiatives like the Tennessee PBS At-Home Learning Collaborative. Magura is dedicated to expanding public media’s reach and supporting independent producers..

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Mearl Purvis

Mearl Purvis grew up on the traditions that have molded her into an award winning journalist and a community engaged person. Fairness, family, gratitude and compassion. Her stories often examined the lives of the unsung heroes and heroines making a difference in their communities. Ask her what her favorite past time activities are and with enthusiasm she will say reading to school children, mowing acres of land in the country, enjoying art, gardening, music and reading for pleasure.

Her pride and joy is daughter Margaret Williams, a successful CEO of her own company.

Mearl has won eight Regional Emmy® Awards, the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award, the equally prestigious George Foster Peabody Award and the J.C. Penny Missouri Award. The graduate of Jackson State University in Jackson, MS Mearl was trained to be a well-rounded journalist and learned how to write, edit, produce as well as anchor.

Her career assignments have been vast and impressive. A documentary on the life of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte took her to Paris, France and the French countryside. A personal trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia ended with a special report after Mearl toured Tuol Sleng, the Genocide Museum, where Pol Pot’s murderous regime killed more than 12,000 people. From the horrors of what hatred can destroy to the power of what love can create, she calls her private moments with the Dali Lama – a ‘soul makeover’. Mearl has shared a stage with four world leaders including Desmond Tutu, Mikhail Gorbachev, U. S. presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Before starting her impressive tenure here in Memphis, Mearl reported and anchored in Charlotte, NC; New Haven, CT; Nashville, TN; and, Jackson, MS. She retired in 2022 after more than 30 years in television news She was seen weeknights at 5, 6, 9 and 10 pm on FOX13 evening newscasts.

Mearl Purvis is an award-winning journalist known for highlighting unsung heroes. A Jackson State University graduate, she reported and anchored in cities across the U.S. before her distinguished tenure at FOX13 Memphis, retiring in 2022 after 30+ years. Mearl’s work earned eight Regional Emmy® Awards, a Murrow, a Peabody, and the J.C. Penney Missouri Award. Her assignments spanned Paris, Cambodia, and moments with leaders like Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. She loves reading to children, art, gardening, and cherishes her daughter, Margaret Williams, a successful CEO.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Chad Tucker

Chad Tucker has been in broadcasting for more than 30 years starting when he was just 12 years old. The WGHP television anchor and feature reporter of the popular series, Chad's Folks, inspires viewers weekly with his downhome storytelling filled with life lessons. His community outreach and childhood cancer advocacy inspire us all.

Raised in the foothills of Stokes County, North Carolina, Chad lost his father at 7-months-old. His stepfather, a mechanic who raised him, passed away of cancer when Chad was 14. The magic of television gave Chad, a self-described "trailer park kid," an escape to dream beyond the hardships and losses. When he was 12, he began spending time at his hometown radio station WKTE-AM. With dyslexia he struggled in school but found his voice as a radio announcer for the country-bluegrass station. At 15, Chad began writing articles for his hometown newspaper, the former King Times-News. While studying journalism at East Carolina University he started working as a news producer for WNCT-TV which promoted him to a general assignment reporter before he graduated college. Since 2002 he's worked for WGHP-TV and has been highlighted for his dedication to the community with many accolades, including being repeatedly named the best local news anchor by the major Piedmont-Triad newspapers and magazines. Chad's been recognized by his peers for his storytelling with three Emmy® Awards, multiple Associated Press Awards and RTNDA Awards. He's authored several regional history books and taught journalism for 15 years at local universities.

In the past three decades Chad has shared countless stories of people's hope, joy and pain ― including his family's suffering with childhood cancer. His youngest daughter's 858-day battle with leukemia has become his greatest storytelling. Through social media Chad turned directly to viewers sharing his young daughter's daily battles, pain and victories. The rawness moved viewers and followers from around the world, bringing much needed awareness to childhood cancer and research. Today his daughter is in remission.

While going through the cancer journey Chad and his family helped raise over three million dollars for pediatric cancer organizations and research. His attention to the bone marrow registry for blood cancers led the community and himself to enter the worldwide database. Chad became the perfect match for a 40-year-old Australian woman with leukemia. She's alive today because of Chad's donation of his bone marrow. His family created a childhood cancer foundation which raises funds for the pediatric oncology clinic that helped save their daughter. The organization also provides comfort books to kids battling the disease and awards scholarships to the next generation of medical heroes.

Chad is a sought-after public speaker, sharing the lessons he learned on surviving life's storms. He's often found in classrooms reading to kids, sharing his love of books and his story of living with dyslexia.

If his subdued southern drawl doesn't give away his Tar Heel roots, Chad's personality does. He has an appreciation for small town folks, an appetite for North Carolina history and a love of Andy Griffith Show reruns.

Chad and his wife, Meredith, have three young rambunctious children. The oldest thinks she's the leader; the middle ― who battled cancer ― isn't afraid of much and the youngest believes he's spiderman and ready to take on the world.

Chad Tucker, a WGHP-TV anchor and Emmy®-winning storyteller, has inspired viewers for over 30 years with his heartfelt “Chad’s Folks” series. A proud North Carolinian who overcame childhood hardship and dyslexia, Chad began in radio at 12 and pursued journalism through East Carolina University. His daughter’s battle with leukemia led him to raise over $3 million for pediatric cancer and donate life-saving bone marrow. Chad, also an author and journalism instructor, champions childhood cancer awareness and dyslexia advocacy. He and his wife, Meredith, have three children and share a love for community and North Carolina traditions.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Nancy Amons

Nancy got the broadcasting bug at about age 12, listening to an AM transistor radio under her pillow until well past curfew. She became a late-night rock DJ at a Worcester, Massachusetts college radio station at 16, then pursued a broadcast degree first at UMass Amherst, then at the University of Southern California. She got hooked on journalism at USC and graduated Magna Cum Laude. After a brief stint as a producer in Tampa, Nancy moved to Savannah, GA, and spent eight years learning the ropes of beat reporting and investigative reporting. In 1988, Nancy found her broadcast “home” at WSMV in Nashville, where she spent the next 32 years. She earned a number of Emmy^® awards, a national Edward R. Murrow Award, a Mothers Against Drunk Driving national award, and her proudest accolade, a national award from Investigative Reporters and Editors for an extensive investigation into then General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland. Nancy’s investigative findings were quoted by prosecutors as Moreland was sent to federal prison for corruption.

Nancy’s investigation into the former Rutherford County Sheriff also sent him to prison. The only evidence prosecutors entered at his sentencing hearing was the sheriff’s raw interview with Nancy. He lied, but she had all the documents. Nancy stood up to bullies. Her one-on-one interview with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made world headlines, as he stumbled to avoid her persistent questions.

One coworker once compared Nancy’s relentless reporting to a bulldog who would not let go of your pants leg.

While Nancy made a career exposing corruption, she delighted in fighting for ordinary people — restoring lost medical benefits or cutting through government red tape.

After 40-plus years in broadcasting, Nancy retired in 2020 and enjoys dancing, crafting, the outdoors, and time with family.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Larry Audas

Larry Audas served as President and General Manager of WFMY, the TEGNA CBS affiliate in Greensboro, NC from 2011 to 2024. TEGNA appointed Audas as President and GM of WZDX, the TEGNA FOX affiliate in Huntsville, Alabama in 2020.

During his tenure at WFMY News 2, he engaged staff to renovate and revive the historic North Carolina station. Along with larger market rivals, WFMY was recognized with multiple Midsouth Emmy^® News Excellence and Best Newscast nominations. The North Carolina Association of Broadcasters honored WFMY in 2018 for Best Breaking News and Outstanding Newscast and Community Involvement in 2021.

WFMY won a Community Service Regional Emmy^® in 2014, the Gannett Best Client Solution Award in 2013, and was a Gannett Greater Good finalist in 2012. Audas developed non-traditional news content, securing multi-platform/social audiences and clientele. The Emmy^®-winning Read 2 Succeed program reached 100,000+ urban elementary students with a compelling literacy message. WFMY News 2 first launched market-wide interactive coverage featuring dozens of Skype-ready Weather Watchers who appear online, on social, and on TV with severe weather reports. Aviation Triad connected business and civic interests with WFMY’s sales marketing support of the region’s promising aerospace sector.

Audas was President and GM of TEGNA’s (then Gannett) KTHV (CBS) Little Rock from 2002 until his WFMY appointment. Audas was a 2008 Gannett Manager of the Year finalist. KTHV won a National Edward R. Murrow Award for its documentary on the 1957 desegregation of Little Rock Central High. Previously, Audas served as News Director at WLTX (CBS) in Columbia. The station overhauled its entire news operation and was recognized with a Most Outstanding Newscast Emmy^®, a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, and as the SC Broadcasters’ TV Station of the Year (2001 & 2002). Prior to WLTX, Audas was weekday anchor for KTHV, which delivered its first AP Best Newscast, first Emmy^®-winning Best Newscast and Live Special Event, as well as a first Regional Murrow Best Newscast.

Before employment with Gannett/TEGNA, Audas worked as an anchor/reporter for KPRC (NBC) in Houston. He reported on everything from hurricanes and earthquakes to Texas politics and pro sports. The Texas AP recognized him with a 1989 Best Reporter award. His previous anchor/reporter positions were at KFOR (NBC) in Oklahoma City and KSWO (ABC) in Lawton, Oklahoma. Audas began his career as an announcer with KQCV radio in Oklahoma City after earning a B.A. in Radio/TV Production at Bob Jones University. He participated in the Gannett Management Program, NAB Management Development Seminar at Northwestern University, Center for Creative Leadership, and other TEGNA training programs.

Audas served on the Greensboro Sports Council, Greensboro Chamber Grow Campaign, NC Broadcasters Association, and other community endeavors. He and his wife Joanne have two adult children. Kara is a doctor in Charlotte. Maria is a head basketball coach in South Carolina. The family enjoys their grandchildren, sports, competition, and travel, as well as involvement in church and service opportunities.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Tuwanda Coleman

Over the course of her 41-year career at NewsChannel 5, you might say Tuwanda Coleman has seen and done a little of it all.

A native of Cadiz, Kentucky, Tuwanda says she knew she wanted to work in television the first time she saw Oprah Winfrey anchor the news on Channel 5.

Tuwanda graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1981 with a degree in Broadcasting. Two weeks after graduation, she landed her first job at Channel 5 as a studio camera operator.

For ten years, Tuwanda perfected her skills working behind the camera. In addition to her camera operator duties, she was given the opportunity to co-produce and produce station projects, including the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon and the Children's Miracle Network Telethon benefiting the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

The more opportunities Tuwanda was given to produce, the more she dreamed of becoming a producer full-time. Her dream was realized in 1992 when she was asked to join the staff of Talk of the Town as an assistant producer. Just a few months later, she was promoted to full-time producer with the show, and in 2003, Tuwanda moved from behind the camera to in front of it, becoming a field reporter for Talk of the Town. In addition to her duties with Talk of the Town, Tuwanda also hosted the public service show The Plus Side of Nashville and the Talk of the Town spin-off show Taste of the Town for NewsChannel 5+.

Tuwanda has received numerous awards and accolades over the course of her career at NewsChannel 5, including two Mid-South Regional Emmy^® Award nominations. She was named the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals “Television Media Person of the Year,” honored as one of Tennessee State University’s Women of Legend and Merit, received the Nashville Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists’ Media Excellence Award, and more.

Tuwanda is actively involved in the Nashville community, lending her support to numerous boards and organizations including the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, the National Association of Black Journalists, Oasis Center, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Advisory Board, Nashville Film Festival, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Tuwanda retired from NewsChannel 5 in January 2024. She now spends her time redecorating and organizing her home, gardening, reading, and spending quality time with her husband Charles, stepdaughter Yolanda, and her furry-son Ollie.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Rick Gall

Rick Gall has been in broadcast news for more than 35 years. After graduating from Marquette and earning a master’s in broadcast journalism from American University, Rick got his first reporter job at WIFR in Rockford, Illinois, where he met his wife Pam. He spent four years reporting at WNEP in Wilkes-Barre, PA, before heading south to North Carolina, where he joined WLOS as a reporter. In 1995, Rick joined WRAL as a bureau reporter covering Fayetteville. He later transitioned to roles behind the scenes including assignment editor, assignment manager, managing editor, and assistant news director. In 2005, he became news director and has led a team of 150+ employees through every news and weather event impacting NC. During Gall's 19 years as News Director, WRAL News won 25 regional and national awards for overall excellence, and, in May 2023, the Nielsen ratings showed WRAL was the choice of 65% of news viewers in the market.

Along with numerous awards for his leadership as news director at WRAL, Rick has also been responsible for helping oversee the evolution of broadcast news over the past 25 years at one of the most innovative stations in the country. From the evolution to HD video, including live remotes, in-studio and eventually news gathering in the field, to the multi-platform nature and 24/7 cycle of news as it has evolved over the past three decades, Rick has led WRAL through it all — often waiting for the technology to catch up with WRAL's transformative plans. He has overseen the shift in live transmission capability, introduction of drone photography, growing movement toward multimedia journalists, and a myriad of other technological developments that have transformed the industry. Through every change, Rick makes thoughtful and measured decisions, always with an eye on the broader implications and the big picture. Whether he's leading dozens of people through days of hurricane coverage, ushering more inclusive language into newscasts, or making difficult choices about coverage of major issues and events, his calm and wisdom shine through. Rick Gall's impact on the broadcast industry in North Carolina and all its changes over the past 30 years can't be overstated.

Just as Capitol Broadcasting Corporation has always been dedicated to serving the community, Rick has personally led the charge on dozens of efforts. From overseeing an initiative that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for hurricane victims in North Carolina, to managing vaccine hotlines during the pandemic, to initiating a mental health program that connected people struggling to licensed professionals, he is adept at seeing a need and finding a way that WRAL can help. Rick also helps the community on his personal time, volunteering for Special Olympics and being a long-time leader in his church.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Cameron Kent

Cameron Kent began his career at WXII-TV in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1979 after graduating from Wake Forest University. He started as a general assignment reporter, then moved to Sports Director, and spent the last 23 years of his career as the main News Anchor.

He was nominated for 14 Emmy^® Awards for journalism, including Best News Writer three times, and won an Emmy^® for his reporting on the Pentagon after 9/11.

As the Crimestoppers reporter for WXII, he won the Crimestoppers top journalism award for the Southeast Region eleven times, and the top award for crime reporting from Crimestoppers International three times.

He’s a recipient of the North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award, honoring individuals who make a significant contribution to their community through volunteer service. He was the emcee or keynote speaker at over 3,000 events, helping dozens of worthwhile organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Samaritan Ministries, and the Boy Scouts.

Cameron was also awarded the “Living Legend” award for outstanding service to the youth in our community.

One of the highlights of his career at WXII was his involvement in organizing the Flights of Honor, escorting over 1,300 World War Two veterans up to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War Two memorial on the National Mall.

In 2018, he was inducted into the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Steve Johnson

North Alabama news legend, Steve Johnson, retired from the anchor desk on June 14, 2024, after 47 years at News 19, and it is hard to put his illustrious career into words.

No stranger to the area, Steve grew up in the Rocket City attending Huntsville High School and Auburn University, where he met his wife, Sue. After college, he moved to Anniston, taking a job at the small station WHMA, which was owned by the Anniston Star. After a few years, Huntsville came calling, and former WHNT News Director Dan Cooper offered Steve the job of Sports Director in 1977. While Steve initially turned down the position, he knew after the phone call he made a mistake and called Cooper to accept the very next day. Steve’s first day as Action News 19 Sports Director was May 2, 1977, and he served in that position for more than 22 years. During his tenure as Sports Director, Steve was able to cover “Bo Over the Top” and “The Kick” by Van Tiffin in the 1985 Iron Bowl. However, Steve’s favorite memory was trading a piece of gum for an interview with Dale Earnhardt Sr.

In 1999, Steve transitioned from sports to news. As a general assignment reporter, Steve covered stories that impacted the community, which quickly evolved into him becoming the go-to guy for anything Redstone Arsenal and space. He grew an expertise in space and missile defense reporting, setting a standard in the market. Steve took his coverage of three shuttle launches very seriously, but he remembered to have fun along the way. While doing a live shot for WPIX in New York City for one of the launches, Steve earned the nickname, “The Shuttle Stud,” which followed him for years to come.

In 2010, Steve began filling in on the anchor desk, and in 2013 was promoted to the News 19 Morning Co-Anchor, becoming the long-time face of our morning newscasts. Throughout his time at News 19, Steve was known as a mentor and friend to every colleague that passed through the WHNT newsroom. Former co-anchor Lauren Layton says, “I trust him as a journalist, and I trust him as a friend. He is one of those people that if you have a question, he meets you where you are and brings you up with him.” Members of the community and officials across North Alabama also knew what an asset News 19 had in Steve Johnson. One former co-anchor, Emileigh Forrester, easily summed up his legacy saying: “The knowledge he has imparted on our newsroom is priceless and there will never be another Steve Johnson.”

In retirement, Steve is spending more time with his beloved wife Sue, sons Wes and Chris, daughter-in-law Renae, and two grandsons Luke and Logan. Over his 47 years at WHNT, it’s hard to comprehend the scope of the impact Steve has had on the Tennessee Valley community. His passion for journalism was evident every day he stepped into the newsroom, and his legacy will continue to impact News 19 and the Tennessee Valley.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Meryll Rose

Meryll Rose was a familiar face and trusted friend to television viewers for 45 years, most notably as the co-host of Nashville’s top-rated midday show, Talk of the Town.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee’s College of Communications in 1978, Meryll landed her first job as a reporter and weekend anchor at WRCB in Chattanooga. The next year, she returned home to become the co-host of Nashville's first magazine show, PM Magazine. She also served as the producer of that show, until the opportunity arose to develop a new entertainment show for syndication. Meryll joined Jim Owens Entertainment as the producer of This Week in Country Music, which became the popular series Crook & Chase, which she also produced.

Meryll joined WTVF in 1987 as the Executive Producer of Talk of the Town. She returned to an on-air role in 1993 as the co-anchor of NewsChannel 5’s Weekend Morning Report for three years, before being named as the co-host of Talk of the Town in 1996. Meryll was committed to making Talk of the Town a positive, uplifting, bright spot in the day for viewers — a role that brought her great joy until her retirement in 2023.

Retirement has allowed Meryll to pursue other passions like international travel, playing pickleball, and thrifting vintage clothes for her online resale business. She’s enjoying being more involved in church and neighborhood activities, and cheering for her five grandkids at countless baseball, volleyball, and soccer games.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Vicki Yates

When Vicki Yates brings you the news every night, you are benefiting from more than three decades of experience and award-winning reporting.

In addition to her anchoring and reporting duties, Vicki co-hosts the annual Children's Miracle Network Telethon benefiting Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, a testament to her community involvement on and off the air.

Her career began in Detroit, Michigan while attending college. As a freelance reporter, she worked for Michigan's number one minority newspaper, The Michigan Chronicle. While a junior at Michigan State University, she was hired to work at WJIM-TV as a news reporter. She drew some tough assignments, including the crime beat and various issues at MSU.

Vicki's experience and responsibilities grew while working as Assistant News Director, reporter, and Public Affairs Director at WMJC Radio in Detroit. She was responsible for six daily newscasts and two weekly public service programs. From there, Vicki went on to work as a newswriter, producer, and news reporter at two other stations in Michigan and Ohio. Vicki's talent eventually landed her an anchor/news reporter position at WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, where she helped make the noon newscast number one in the market. Before joining the NewsChannel 5 team, Vicki anchored and reported at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh.

She has won six Emmy^® Awards for, among other reports, a mini-documentary "Bundles of Joy" on multiple births… a special news feature about the life of Olympian Wilma Rudolph, and for her news franchise, "School Patrol."

In 2011, Vicki was invited by the White House to visit Washington, D.C. and interview President Barack Obama one-on-one.

Vicki spends much of her time on weekends, hosting events for local organizations, or traveling to visit her much-loved children.