Rod Carter joined CBS 17 News as a weeknight evening anchor after nearly two decades at WFLA in Tampa, Florida.
A proud graduate of Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Rod earned his Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism. He went on to complete a Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Alabama in December 2024. In Spring 2026, he will begin pursuing a Ph.D. in Adult and Continuing Education at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville.
Rod is a Life Member of the FAMU National Alumni Association and has long supported his alma mater. He created a Broadcast Journalism Boot Camp taught exclusively by FAMU journalism alumni, further strengthening the university’s legacy of producing outstanding media professionals. He also leads the NABJ–FAMU Journalism Short Course, mentoring aspiring journalists during an intensive training program, and in Fall 2025, he is teaching a Reporting and Writing course at FAMU. In addition, he has served for many years on the FAMU School of Journalism Board of Visitors.
Rod was an adjunct professor of communications at St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh (Fall 2021). He was also honored with the Kappa Tau Alpha Hall of Fame Award by the University of South Florida’s Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications.
Rod’s professional leadership includes extensive service to the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). He recently completed a term as Secretary on the NABJ Executive Board (August 2025) and as Chair of NABJ’s 50th Anniversary Committee (December 2025). He is a past Region III Director and former Region III Deputy Director for NABJ, former President of the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists, former Vice President–Broadcast of the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists, and immediate Vice President–Digital for the Raleigh-Durham Chapter.
Rod is a Life Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He currently serves as the fraternity’s International Director of Publicity and is a member of the Eta Sigma Chapter in Raleigh. He is also a charter member and past 2nd Vice President of the Sigma Xi Sigma Chapter in Tampa.
Rod is also a member of the Wendell/Wake County Branch NAACP.
Rod is deeply committed to community service. He mentors a number of journalists and student journalists and serves on numerous boards and committees, including:
• National Association of Black Journalists – Secretary (past)
• Raleigh-Durham Association of Black Journalists – VP, Digital (past)
• American Diabetes Association NC – Community Leadership Board
• Gentleman’s Quest Mentoring Program – Board Chair
• DPAC Rising Stars – Judge
• Florida A&M University School of Journalism Board of Visitors – Board Member
• Hillsborough Community College Digital, TV & Media Production Advisory Board – Board Member
• Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition – Former Board Member
• The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay – Former Board Member
• Swope, Rodante Vanguard Award Selection Board – Former Board Member
A proud graduate of Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Rod earned his Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism. He went on to complete a Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Alabama in December 2024. In Spring 2026, he will begin pursuing a Ph.D. in Adult and Continuing Education at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville.
Rod is a Life Member of the FAMU National Alumni Association and has long supported his alma mater. He created a Broadcast Journalism Boot Camp taught exclusively by FAMU journalism alumni, further strengthening the university’s legacy of producing outstanding media professionals. He also leads the NABJ–FAMU Journalism Short Course, mentoring aspiring journalists during an intensive training program, and in Fall 2025, he is teaching a Reporting and Writing course at FAMU. In addition, he has served for many years on the FAMU School of Journalism Board of Visitors.
Rod was an adjunct professor of communications at St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh (Fall 2021). He was also honored with the Kappa Tau Alpha Hall of Fame Award by the University of South Florida’s Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications.
Rod’s professional leadership includes extensive service to the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). He recently completed a term as Secretary on the NABJ Executive Board (August 2025) and as Chair of NABJ’s 50th Anniversary Committee (December 2025). He is a past Region III Director and former Region III Deputy Director for NABJ, former President of the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists, former Vice President–Broadcast of the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists, and immediate Vice President–Digital for the Raleigh-Durham Chapter.
Rod is a Life Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He currently serves as the fraternity’s International Director of Publicity and is a member of the Eta Sigma Chapter in Raleigh. He is also a charter member and past 2nd Vice President of the Sigma Xi Sigma Chapter in Tampa.
Rod is also a member of the Wendell/Wake County Branch NAACP.
Rod is deeply committed to community service. He mentors a number of journalists and student journalists and serves on numerous boards and committees, including:
• National Association of Black Journalists – Secretary (past)
• Raleigh-Durham Association of Black Journalists – VP, Digital (past)
• American Diabetes Association NC – Community Leadership Board
• Gentleman’s Quest Mentoring Program – Board Chair
• DPAC Rising Stars – Judge
• Florida A&M University School of Journalism Board of Visitors – Board Member
• Hillsborough Community College Digital, TV & Media Production Advisory Board – Board Member
• Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition – Former Board Member
• The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay – Former Board Member
• Swope, Rodante Vanguard Award Selection Board – Former Board Member
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Congressional Black Caucus 2017 with Late Honorable Bro. John Lewis
Phi Beta Sigma "Real Talk" Moderator
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Remember the Dream 2018 |
Historic Flight to Cuba |
2016 Presidential Debates
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ADDITIONAL SERIES: CLICK PHOTOS FOR REPORTS
I go along with the NAACP of Tampa on a bus to Washington DC for the the 50th Anniversary of the historic March on Washington
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President John F Kennedy visits Tampa and 4 days later is assassinate in Dallas. I take a look back at that visit.
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50 years after Freedom Summer, I talk to three people who were part of that historic voting rights movement in the 1960s.
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