New year, new anchor lineup on WRAL News

WRAL-TV is making some changes to the anchor lineup for the WRAL Evening News and WRAL Late News.

David Crabtree is taking a step back to focus solely on WRAL News at 6, with longtime co-anchor Debra Morgan, while Dan Haggerty, and Chris Lovingood, who are newer to the team, get regular roles.

Crabtree says, "I felt it was time to cut back on some of my anchoring duties, put my energy into the 6 p.m. which I've anchored for almost 28 years, and work on several major projects which are important to me. This also gives our team another opportunity to grow. New eyes, new vision, new talent, new ideas make us better!

"My new schedule is part of the natural order of a long career in broadcast journalism and not a slide into early retirement. Much work remains to be done!"

Haggerty comes to WRAL-TV from KGW/NBC8 in Portland, where he won a regional Edward R. Murrow for Excellence in Innovation. He has 17 years of experience, with stops in Dallas, San Diego and Cleveland.

Lovingood joins WRAL-TV after years as an anchor/reporter at WTAE in Pittsburgh and a career that includes work as a reporter in Fort Myers, Fla., and Peoria, Ill. He’s a graduate of Western Illinois University.

Here's the lineup:

WRAL Evening News at 4 p.m.: Lena Tillett and Dan Haggerty

WRAL Evening News at 4:30 p.m.: Lena Tillett and Chris Lovingood

WRAL Evening News at 5 p.m.: Debra Morgan and Gerald Owens

WRAL Evening News at 5:30 p.m.: Lena Tillett and Dan Haggerty

WRAL Evening News at 6 p.m.: Debra Morgan and David Crabtree

WRAL Evening News at 7 p.m.: Debra Morgan and Gerald Owens

WRAL News Late News on Fox 50 at 10 p.m.: Lena Tillett and Gerald Owens

WRAL Late News on Fox 50 at 10:30 p.m.: Lena Tillett and Chris Lovingood

WRAL Late News at 11 p.m.: Debra Morgan and Gerald Owens