Neal Spelce

Neal Spelce was recently recognized when UT’s College of Communication named The Neal Spelce Broadcast Journalism Studio in his honor. As a tribute to his accomplishments, 28 donors, including contemporaries such as former CBS anchor Dan Rather, PBS national broadcaster Bill Moyers, former Los Angeles Times publisher and former CNN/CEO Tom Johnson made contributions to the College in Neal’s name.

He received national accolades, citing his “bravery” and courage” as he reported, live within range of the sniper’s bullets, when the UT Tower was the site of the nation’s first worst mass murder. Neal Spelce is featured prominently in the award-winning documentary, TOWER, that aired on PBS in January 2017, and is now showing on Netflix for the next two years. TOWER, after receiving top SXSW 2016 recognitions, was on the official “short list” for a 2017 Academy Award.

Additionally, Neal won the nation’s highest Radio reporting award from the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Headliners Foundation named him tops in the US for “Consistently Outstanding TV News Coverage in the Nation.” He also won the nation’s top Public Relations award given by the Public Relations Society of America and a Lifetime Achievement Advertising Award.

For his professional and university accomplishments, the UT Moody College of Communication also named him an “Outstanding Alumnus,” joining other awardees such as Lady Bird Johnson, George Christian, Liz Carpenter and Wall Street Journal editor Karen Elliott House.

Neal continues to bring his journalistic expertise to the Austin metro area. Since 1979, The Neal Spelce Austin Letter has provided insight into what is happening now and its implications for the future of Central Texas. His weekly topics include tech, transportation, energy, water, real estate, public affairs, etc.

UT Austin, BJ (Journalism), BFA (Radio/TV) and BA (Speech).