Bill Leslie is a journalist who formerly anchored the morning and noon newscasts for

WRAL-TV WRAL-TV (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for the Research Triangle area. It is the flagship station of the locally based Capitol Broadcasting Company, which h ...

in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is also known as a new age record artist who, along with his World Music band Lorica who perform traditional as well as Celtic fusion music composed by Leslie. Leslie has also composed music featured on two albums by Bragh Adair. Leslie graduated from the University of North Carolina.

Career

Following his graduation from UNC in 1972, Bill began his radio and television career as a reporter and news anchor for WKIX radio in Raleigh. After a three-year stint, he then worked for

WTAR WTAR (850 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, and serving the Hampton Roads (Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News) radio market. WTAR is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc. It broadcasts a hot adult cont ...

in Norfolk and

KULF KULF (1090 kHz) was an AM daytimer radio station, paired with an FM relay translator, based in Bellville, Texas. Licensed to Bellville, Texas, United States, it served the Victoria and Houston regional area. The station was last owned by Jame ...

in Houston, before returning to Raleigh in 1979 as News Director for

WRAL-FM WRAL (101.5 FM, "Mix 101.5") is a commercial radio station licensed to Raleigh, North Carolina, and serving the Research Triangle. It is owned by the Capitol Broadcasting Company and broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format, switching t ...

. In 1984, he transitioned to television work with

, where he has stayed for over 30 years. During that time, he served the station in a variety of roles, including News Director, weekend anchor, environmental reporter, and co-anchor of the morning and noon newscasts. Bill retired from WRAL-TV on June 29, 2018.

Awards

Leslie has won 2 George Foster Peabody Awards, 5 Emmys and has also been awarded the Society of Professional Journalists National Distinguished Public Service Award,

Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award The Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism is a journalism award named after Robert F. Kennedy and awarded by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. The annual awards are issued in several categories and were est ...

National Headliner Award National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

, Gavel Award, RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award, UPI National Award for Features and twice won the North Carolina Journalist of the Year. New Age Reporter named Leslie "Best New Artist" and his ''Christmas in Carolina'' album was named "Best Holiday Album" in 2005. Leslie's 2008 release "Blue Ridge Reunion" and 2010 release "Simple Beauty" were both named Best Acoustic Instrumental Album of the Year by international radio hosts who report to ZoneMusicReporter.com ''Peaceful Journey'' reached number one on the New Age Reporter's world music charts in December 2004, and ''Christmas in Carolina'' reached number two. Zone Music Reporter ranked "Simple Beauty" number one on the world music charts in September 2010. "Blue Ridge Reunion" was also number one on the Zone Music Reporter charts in September 2008. The North Carolina Governor presented Leslie with the

Order of the Long Leaf Pine The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, created in 1964, is an honor that can be granted in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2021, it was believed the Order had been awarded to more than 21,000 people. The Order The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is ...

for "extraordinary service to the state" during Leslie's final week on WRAL.

Discography

-(2011) "A Midnight Clear - Christmas in Mitford" -(2010) "Simple Beauty" *(2008) ''Blue Ridge Reunion'' *(2006) ''I Am a River'' *(2002) ''Christmas in Carolina'' *(2003) ''Peaceful Journey''

Videography

*(2002) ''Christmas in Carolina''

Books

*(2008) ''Blue Ridge Reunion''

References

External links

Official website
UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media alumni 1952 births Living people People from Morganton, North Carolina {{US-journalist-1950s-stub