Collection Summary

The North Carolina Now Episodes Collection contains over 1,200 episodes from the newsmagazine series of the same name, produced and broadcast by University of North Carolina Television (UNC-TV). The collection includes episodes from the initial broadcast in 1994 to August 1999. North Carolina Now was originally broadcast every weeknight as half-hour episodes with hosts Audrey Kates Bailey and Mary Lou Harcharic, who discussed issues and stories in North Carolina, including the economy, the natural environment, the arts, sciences, and local politics. Although the series’ initial focus was on lighter stories, by 1997 it had shifted towards covering weightier subjects in response to viewer feedback, altering the show’s format to lead with an exploration of extended issues and end with lighter news segments. Episodes feature segments on a variety of topics, including the 10th anniversary of the Crosby golf tournament, organizations dedicated to gun violence education, renovations to the European galleries at the North Carolina Museum of Art, crisis counselors’ role in high schools, conservation efforts for endangered species at the North Carolina Zoo, and the debate over the construction of the Randleman Dam. Subjects discussed include local news, businesses, and politics, the US economy, North Carolina history, race-related issues, and local sports and entertainment.

Collection Background

UNC-TV first aired in 1955 out of Chapel Hill, and now broadcasts from twelve stations to most of North Carolina, as well as parts of Virginia, Georgia, and South Carolina. The North Carolina Now episodes were originally aired from UNC-TV starting in 1994. Materials were contributed to the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) by UNC-TV between 2012 and 2014.