UNC-TV pays a visit to UNCP

Former UNC President William Friday paid a visit to UNC Pembroke on August 28.

He brought his cameras, crew and lights to tape a segment of the long-running UNC-TV show "North Carolina People with William Friday."

The crew filmed a 30-minute interview with Chancellor Allen C. Meadors for broadcast on Friday, September 12 at 9 p.m. and Sunday, September 14 at 5:30 p.m.

"North Carolina People" is in its 30th season on UNC-TV, North Carolina's public TV outlet. Friday, who has conducted nearly 1,500 interviews for the program, said all of his shows are taped on location now.

"We wanted to get down here for some time," Friday said following the taping. "We think North Carolinians want to see what they are investing in. We think it is more interesting for our viewers to do it on location."

Chancellor Meadors said sharing the UNCP story with William Friday was a pleasure.

"We were delighted to have Mr. Friday and UNC-TV on our campus," Chancellor Meadors said. "Anytime we can share the wonderful things going on at UNCP with others, it is a pleasure."

"I especially enjoyed hearing the stories about Mr. Friday's days as president of the UNC system," he added.

As UNC's President from 1956 and 1986, Friday has a long history with UNC Pembroke, and he praised former Chancellor English Jones, who worked closely with him.

"English Jones was a great friend and a wonderful human being," Friday said. "We built a lot of buildings on this campus."

If Friday was instrumental in an earlier building boom at UNCP, the conversation between Chancellor Meadors and Friday was about the latest enrollment and construction boom on campus that has seen the University grow 54 percent in just four years.

Because the set was closed, the content of the interview won't be revealed until September 12.

After the taping, the UNC-TV crew shot additional footage on campus for the program. Between entertaining his crew with colorful stories of local history, Friday issued orders about what to tape on campus.

"There are things I remember about this campus they don't know," he explained.

Friday led UNC through some of its most critical moments in history, including the formation of the 16-campus university system with UNC Pembroke as a member.

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