Among the first programs aired was the movie Miracle on 34th Street. WRAL-TV began broadcasting on December 15, 1956.

This is channel 5's second stint with NBC it was a primary affiliate with that network for six years at the station's inception, after which it took on a secondary affiliation with NBC for the next six years. WRAL-TV has been affiliated with NBC since February 29, 2016, when it ended a 30-year affiliation with CBS (with CBS going to Goldsboro-licensed WNCN on that date). The television stations share studios at Capitol Broadcasting Company headquarters on Western Boulevard in west Raleigh, while WRAL-TV's transmitter is located in Auburn, North Carolina. WRAL-TV is a sister station to Fox affiliate WRAZ (channel 50, also licensed to Raleigh), Class A Decades affiliate WNGT-CD (channel 34, licensed to both Smithfield and Selma), and radio stations WRAL (101.5 FM), WCMC-FM (99.9), WDNC (620 AM), and WCLY (1550 AM). It is the flagship station of the locally based Capitol Broadcasting Company, which has owned the station since its inception. WRAL-TV (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for the Research Triangle area.

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