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Breaking
Olympics
Olympics broadcaster's career started with help from WRAL
While in college and immediately after, Terry Gannon sought advice from WRAL-TV as he tried to break into broadcasting.
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While in college and immediately after, Terry Gannon sought advice from WRAL-TV as he tried to break into broadcasting.
NEGATIVE IN TIME TO COMPETE. >>> IF YOU HAVE TUNED IN FOR ANYTHING YOU'VE HEARD HARRY GANNON CALLING THE ACTION. ONCE A MEMBER OF THE 1983 NC STATE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL TEAM HE IS A MAIN VOICE ON ABC FOR THE OLYMPICS. HIS START ON TELEVISION CAME RIGHT HERE. ON WRAL. WE HAD A REFLECTION ON HIS OLYMPIC SIZE DREAMS THAT STARTED HERE IN RALEIGH. >>> LET'S START THIS GREAT EVENING OFF OF THE SLAM DUNK CONTEST. I THINK I WILL STAY OUT OF THIS ONE. MY KNEE IS SORE. I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE BIG GUYS. >> THE HAIR. IT WAS BIG BACK THEN AND THE SHORTS WERE SHORT. THOSE WERE THE DAYS. >> HARRY GANNON CAN TRACE HIS HUMBLE TV BEGINNINGS BACK TO RALEIGH. DURING HIS DAYS NC STATE HE FORMED GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOLKS IN THE MEDIA WHO ENCOURAGED HIM ALONG HIS JOURNEY. INCLUDING SOME OF WRAL'S OWN. >> I KNOW BROADCAST EXPERIENCE AT ALL. I NEVER DONE IT GROWING UP. SO MANY WERE SO HELPFUL. >> Reporter: HE WANTED FEEDBACK FROM THE REL SPEED TEAM. >> I WENT TO WRAL AND I SAID YOU HAVE THIS SHOW CO. P.M. MAGAZINE. LET ME DO A FEATURE EVERY WEEK. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T RUN IT AND DON'T PAY ME. >> Reporter: THOSE EARLY DAYS PAID OFF FINE. HE HAS SINCE HAD NATIONALLY TELEVISED FOOTBALL GAMES, FIGURE SKATING, GOLF AND THE BUSY BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT OF THEM ALL, THE SUMMER AND WINTER OLYMPICS. HE ATTRIBUTES HIS ATHLETIC BACKGROUND TO THE ABILITY TO SOUND GENUINE AND THE ANNOUNCER'S BOOTH. >> I FEEL LIKE HE GIVES ME A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND PERSPECTIVE WHEN I CALL GAMES. OR FIGURE SKATING EVENTS. OR WHATEVER THE ATHLETES ARE DOING. >> Reporter: IN PART TWO HE REFLECTS BACK TO HIS COACH AND THE 1983 NC STATE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM AND HOW JIMMY V ENCOURAGED HIM TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE OF TV. >> ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THE 1983 TAUGHT ME IS THAT IT IS A MARATHON AND NOT A SPRINT. >> JEFF AND JAY HAVE HELPED ALL OF US. HE MAY HAVE STARTED HIS BROADCASTING CAREER HERE AT WRAL BUT WHAT TO ATTRIBUTE HIS SUCCESS IN LIFE TO SOMEONE