Spiritual Awakening Doing Double Time on FOX 50

Starting this past Sunday, September 14, 2003, Triangle viewers are getting a double shot of gospel before heading to church with Spiritual Awakening. The WRAL-TV mainstay now appears on WRAL at 6am and again at 8:00am on FOX50.

Spiritual Awakening has a long history with WRAL, first appearing on WRAL radio in the 1940's with host Sister Mabel Gary. Gary served as choir director at the St. Paul AME Zion Church and frequently had her own choir in to sing. The show broadcast on the radio on Sunday evenings. At the time there was no such thing as a black radio station, and WRAL broke barriers by having an African-American program on its airwaves.

Spiritual Awakening moved to television shortly after WRAL-TV went on the air in 1956. The show now includes a bevy of performers of all races and has even experimented with spiritual dance.

WRAL-TV's Associate Producer Dona Anderson now produces the program in close conjunction with WRAL-TV Director/Producer Spencer Jenkins. Local celebrity and 103.9 The Light Morning Personality Sonya Hamm hosts.

POSTED: September 15, 2003