MSNBC Updated Studio 3K debut yesterday

Yesterday the new program hosted by Ronan Farrow (Mia Farrow/Woody Allen son) debuted on MSNBC. Instead of using the newsroom set. Ronan Farrow Daily made its launch from the versatile Studio 3K from 30 Rock. Here are some pics of the newly updated set which features multiple video walls, including one rear projection and one flat panel array, along with the color changing walls, make it easy to instantly rebrand the set.
http://www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ronan.png
http://www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ronan1.png

The studio is also used for Last Word, All In, The Ed Show.
http://www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Screen-Shot-2014-02-10-at-11.31.45-PM.png
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The set previously was one-sided with copper and silver elements and wood with bookcases. All of which has since been removed.
http://www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/allin_msnbc_16.jpg
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http://www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/gallery/setstudio-msnbc_studio_3k/dwyer_110428_1017.jpg

Ooh I've been in that studio.

Ronan Farrow certainly isn't unattractive.

How many studios does MSNBC use? Where does The Rachel Maddow Show come from?

Also in that photo with Lawrence O'Donnell - is he standing on plastic, or is that part of the design? And seems odd they kept that oddly shaped desk.

I'm sure he wouldn't mind you saying that but I think people would find such a comment about a female objectionable. What makes this different?

Fair point.

Quite a nice fresh set. Definitely moving away from the stereotypically US look. Hooray - no wood... Not sure about the acrylic/plexi rostra. Nice use of portrait plasmas and LED internally lit elements. Feels quite European.

Funny you mention about the plexi rostra. Thats very NBC News-esque. They normally use Clickspring to design their set and thats one of their trademarks. But this refresh is interesting as NBC News is slowly distancing themselves from MSNBC visually, probably because of their left-leaning views. They recently dropped the MSNBC website as their main news site and relaunched NBCNEWS.com. So the mix of wood and glass and steel you see on Nightly News, Dateline and Meet the Press are now absent from now all MSNBC set designs. MSNBC is very monochromatic and "modern-looking" in comparison. They have the least flashiest graphics.

Seems as though since they cannd Martin Bashir they are only using 2 sets this refreshed one and the Newsroom set which is super versatile. They just change out the desk or flip it round and it has a whole new look. Quite ingenious really. This was also designed by Clickspring.
I think that "plastic-look" is probably some type of grey textural floor graphic.
http://m1.behance.net/rendition/modules/26079169/disp/f3c2afc52a00103f7611cac558ba0997.jpg
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Over here it is very 'Eurovision Song Contest-esque'... (They have had a number of stages with large glazed floors with LED or plasma screens underneath them in recent years)

Funny you mention that. There is speculation about his parentage. Many say that Frank Sinatra is his dad not Wood Allen.

http://home.bt.com/images/frank-sinatra-ronan-farrow-137843117237208301?v=131004170129

His mom did date/marry Old Blue Eyes himself back in the day. Which is public knowledge.
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/10/4/1380912205553/Newlyweds-Frank-Sinatra-a-010.jpg
Ronan sent a great tweet following the brouhaha before the show launch. But the resemblance is uncanny.
http://www.koco.com/image/view/-/22256410/medRes/2/-/maxh/460/maxw/620/-/13ctxbiz/-/Ronan-Farrow-tweet-jpg.jpg

The main newsroom set is 3A. The small Martin Bashir set/former Lawrence O'Donnell set is also technically part of 3A though separated— I think it might be right behind the main part of it. 3C used to be connected to 3A and was the Nightly News studio, though they closed it off when WNBC moved in and Nightly moved to 3B. Then there's also the separate studio in Washington.

A lot of MSNBC shows also used to use the so-called "news nooks," which were 4-5 studios with a desk, an RP wall, and a single camera position— nothing else. Most of these shows (Early Today, First Look, Ed Schultz, and maybe a few others) moved into 3K whenever it was built. I think they still exist for DTLs though.

Interesting, thanks for this - I was watching 'Now with Alex Wagner' the other day, which in January replaced Bashir in the 4pmET slot, and noted they'd moved from the main 3A set to what I assumed was a part of 3K. Obviously, as you say, that 'nook' is actually part of 3A and not 3K. Does anyone have a floorplan/ photos to show where this nook is in relation to 3A?

I think I'm right in saying some MSNBC programmes have previously used the upper floor of studio 1A (Today's studio), and I know they've been in 3C (during its last Nightly News era) on occasion when 3A was unavailable (presumably for maintenance).

Speaking of 1A, the upper floor has been revamped (see this photo of the new 'corner' featuring the large screen, now more in keeping with the main floor set) including a new (rather odd looking) area created for the Kathie Lee and Hoda 11am hour. As that article points out, it seems oddly out of style - despite being occasionally used by the main programme. The plaza has also been revamped apparently, though I can't tell from this article exactly what's changed on-screen.

As for Farrow - I think he'll be OK in time. I believe this is his first position hosting a programme and is only in his mid-twenties (despite having multiple degrees, worked as a rep of the State Department and UNICEF, and written quite extensively as a journalist and commentator). He perhaps comes across as a little smug so far, but I'm sure he'll ease into the role. Interesting that MSNBC's schedule is now in clear blocks of news (9am-1pm), opinion (1pm-5pm), loud-mouths (5pm-8pm) and sensible liberal commentators (mostly including Lawrence O'Donnell, 8pm-11pm). The jury is out on whether this approach will work, but it does raise the very serious question of whether MSNBC will have any shows at all it markets as 'news' rather than 'opinion' a few years from now.