UNC-TV Selects Vickery New Director of Production

UNC-TV has announced the appointment of Shannon Vickery as its new director of production, a position that oversees the production of an acclaimed and award-winning weeknight information series; 11 weekly series; a variety of general audience prime-time specials highlighting performance, public affairs, science, culture, and history; and how-to series--all of which bring information about North Carolina to North Carolinians.  Vickery will lead the efforts of approximately 50 UNC-TV staff in her position and oversee the allocation of resources totaling $6 million.  Vickery was chosen for the position after a national search.

Succeeding Bob Royster, who retired after 43 years of exemplary service with the statewide public television network, Vickery is the host of the weeknightly public affairs series North Carolina Now and has been serving as the network’s executive producer for content.

Shannon Vickery came to UNC-TV in 1995 after working as a news anchor and reporter at KDRV-TV, the ABC affiliate in Medford, Oregon.  She is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia with bachelor’s degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.  She has a master of arts degree from Duke University, where she also earned a Health Policy Certificate.  Her master’s work at Duke included a sabbatical abroad at Oxford University in Oxford, England.

Vickery is an award-winning correspondent and producer.  For her work, she has been honored with a Mid-South Regional Emmy Award for excellence in television production, as well as a national documentary award from The National Educational Telecommunications Association for excellence in public television production.  She was the recipient of a School Bell Award given by the North Carolina Board of Education and a North Carolina Department of Justice Communications Award for coverage of justice issues.  In addition, she was also honored by the North Carolina World Trade Association with the Governor’s International Community Award for coverage of international issues and how they impact North Carolina.

Announcing the selection, UNC-TV Director and General Manager Tom Howe said, “By any definition, Shannon is a leader.  She is a person of intelligence, enthusiasm, scholarship, curiosity, motivation, initiative, compassion, wisdom, and talent.  Beginning as a producer/reporter for UNC-TV, she has held positions of increasing responsibility throughout her 13-year career.  She possesses the leadership abilities necessary to design, execute, and evaluate high-quality, enriching, educational, and inspiring original content produced by UNC-TV.  She is committed to the mission of UNC-TV and public television.  I am extremely pleased to announce this selection and look forward with excitement and anticipation to working with her in this important new assignment.”

In accepting the position, Vickery said, “I am honored and excited to be given this unique opportunity, and I’m looking forward to building on the wonderful foundation that already exists at UNC-TV to create and produce original programming. UNC-TV was created to serve North Carolina as an educational and informational resource.  For more than 50 years, UNC-TV has expanded its broadcast reach across the state and onto new digital platforms.  As UNC-TV moves into the future, it will use this strong foundation to continue to provide its statewide audience with programs and services that meet viewers’ informational and entertainment needs, that connect them to statewide resources and organizations and showcase the issues, events, people and places of the dynamic state of North Carolina."  

UNC-TV is North Carolina’s statewide public television network, made possible through a unique partnership of public investment and private support.  The network’s vast reach makes its audience the fourth largest public television market.  Its broadcast signal includes five of the top 50 markets--more major markets than any other public television operation.  UNC-TV broadcasts three digital broadcast channels and programs five digital cable channels.

UNC-TV has the largest base of supporters of any North Carolina nonprofit and an operating budget of approximately $28 million.

The state network is considered a leader in the public television industry in the production of original content specifically designed for its audience with programming not found on any other source.

—UNC-TV—