CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Tuesday, Jan. 3, veteran reporter Jim Bradley gave his final sign-off on the Channel 9 airwaves, and started his well-deserved retirement.
Charlotte mayor Jennifer Roberts even proclaimed Jan. 3 as “Jim Bradley Day” in the Queen City because of his widespread influence in the community.
In his 33 years at Channel 9, Jim has covered every kind of news story, from hurricanes, wildfires, major trials, economic troubles and political conventions. Now it was time for the cameras to turn on Jim, and he was the one interviewed about his time spent at Channel 9 and what he’s looking forward to in retirement.
It's been a surreal final day for me at @wsoctv and humbling to hear so many kind words. #JimBradleyDay
— jim bradley (@jimbradleyWSOC9) January 3, 2017
Thanks for letting me tell your stories for 33 years. I'll have a few final words of my own @wsoctv at 6pm.
— jim bradley (@jimbradleyWSOC9) January 3, 2017
What’s your most memorable story?
The most memorable moment in the most memorable story was the Rae Carruth trial, because it was just a blockbuster of a story on so many levels. You had a professional athlete, you had a murder of a woman and a child that was severely injured. All those elements made it a lead story almost every day for the couple of months in that trial. In that trial the triggerman, Van Brett Watkins, surprisingly takes the stand and he is so scary to everybody, I mean he’s talking about this super violent history, they’re questioning him about this, the judge was even scared. The judge got two deputies to come up and stand between him and Van Brett Watkins, that’s how much tension and how scary it was in that courtroom at the time. I’ve never seen anything like it, that even the judge appeared to be worried about his safety with a guy who was shackled in the witness stand chair. So that stands out to me as one of these moments that was incredible.
Some other cool things that happened to me, in 1983 and '84 I covered the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco. I get on the plane, we fly from here to Atlanta, get on the plane at Atlanta and we had somehow gotten bumped up to first class and sitting next to me right on my right hand side is Coretta Scott King. And so I flew all the way from Atlanta to San Francisco getting to talk to Coretta Scott King which was pretty cool.
What’s your favorite behind the scenes moments?
You go to a hurricane or some story like that, there’s a bond that happens and happens over the years. There are two to three photographers that I’ve been working with for 25, 30, one of them all of my 33 years -- Carl McLean -- I’ve been working with ever since I started here. In fact, I did my first story with Carl and I hope I get to do my last story with Carl. I think the behind the scenes becomes a part of my family. You know when something happens with my family they’re there for me so it’s more than just a work relationship with people like Jeremy Letterman and Bill Bruce and Carl McLean. These guys are friends of my family and they care about me and my family and I care about them and their families too.
What will you miss?
Having a front row seat to what’s happening in our city. We have a great city -- we’ve taken some pretty good shots over the last few years, but I think we have a great city and it’s been fun to watch it grow and I feel like I’ve grown with it. When I started here in 1983, there were only a handful of big buildings in downtown, sidewalks kind of rolled up 5 p.m. on Friday and now it’s obviously changed. We have professional sports and all kinds of things down there. I think having a chance to see this community grow over the years has been really special for me and I think that if I’m just a little thread in the fabric of what people see in this community, that will be really humbling to me. But to be able to see it and to talk to people and hear their stories, because I think when you talk to somebody and you tell their story, there’s a connection they have with you and you have with them and I’ve told a lot of stories and have met a lot of people so that’s been a privilege for me just to have people let me in to their lives to get a chance to tell their stories.
What won’t you miss?
I will not miss the next snowstorm. My favorite thing I’m thinking about is when it snows the next time, instead of getting up and putting on boots and a coat and working until it’s all gone, I’m going to put a pot of chili on the stove and I’m going to have a glass of red wine and I’m going to look out the window and say I’m not leaving until it’s all gone.
What you looking forward to in retirement?
I’m looking forward to not being tied to time and the clock. You know friends will call and say “Hey can you leave a little bit early on Friday?” and I always say is the one thing that has never changed in our business is the 6 o’clock news always comes on at 6 o’clock, it never comes on at 4 or 3, it always comes on at 6 so I’m looking forward to not being tied to that clock. I’m also looking forward to spending time with wife and doing things we’ve wanted to do. She’s put up with my crazy schedule for a long time. And my kids, they’re grown now, but I remember a snowstorm back when my oldest daughter was little and it had snowed overnight and she said “Dad can we build a snowman?” and I said absolutely as soon as I get back from work. And when I got back from work the snow had all melted away and I lost that one. So I’m looking forward to regaining some moments with my family
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