North American Affilliates/Network Set Design

KTRK - 13 HOUSTON- Debuted a new set last night. That massive logo in the front of the desk reminds me the logo on WABC 7 New York. I dont like that dotted structure behind the weather centre . Just odd.

WWBT 12- Richmond, Virginia
They debuted a new set last night.

Watch the live behind the scenes debut.

http://i2.wp.com/www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/gallery/wwbt/ncs_wwbt_09.JPG
http://i2.wp.com/www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/gallery/wwbt/ncs_wwbt_06.JPG
http://i0.wp.com/www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/gallery/wwbt/ncs_wwbt_08.JPG

I really like the KTRK set. I didn't mind their old one from 2008, as it was quite cosy and had aged pretty well - but this new one seems much bigger and has a nice modern feel.

I agree that the dotted columns are a bit odd but, overall, I think this is a great update.

I wonder if we'll see something similar when KABC in Los Angeles unveils its new set...

Its actually amazing that ABC is actually rolling out some cash for new sets for their O&Os. Pretty much all of them needed to replaced. So get set for new sets to debut across the US on many of the big ABC stations this autumn.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Obviously I don't know every single O&O, but the only one I can think of that's had a new set in the past 5 years is WABC in New York.

KGO in San Francisco is in desperate need of a new set - their current one looks tiny and very tired.

ABC only has 8 O&Os.
Well the other 2 biggies, WLS - Chicago and KABC - LA are on temporary sets right now. WABC - NY set is way newer that the other 2 flagship station sets in Chicago and LA. And of course Houston was just replaced.
So that leaves:
WPVI 6- Philly
KGO 7 - San Francisco (rumors floating about)
WTVD 11 -Raleigh/Durham ( i heard rumors they are up next)
KFSN - 30 Fresno, CA -
(Former ABC O&O) WXYZ 7 - Detroit is making updates. (I always thought they had the coolest call letters)

Newscaststudio reports that KTLA in Los Angeles is getting a new set later this year...

http://www.newscaststudio.com/2015/09/14/tribune-l-a-station-prepping-new-set/

Their current set is from 2009, but has grown old gracefully in my opinion - it still looks perfectly contemporary.

http://www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ktla-studio-594x333.jpg
(Image from Newscaststudio)

You're right. It has aged gracefully. The purple does make it feel dark. But for an older set it still looks good. But Tribune (Chicago Tribune/WGN-Chicago/WPIX-11NY/KTLA-5) doenst have IMO a good track record of updating their sets and making wise choices. WGN's needs to be burned. They are the flagship station for the 39 station group. They made a major mistake with the WPIX set. Hideous. I just hope what ever KTLA gets will stand the test of time.

Huh? Nobody has really said anything, and they're still on their main set.

To be fair, they did a pretty good job with WTTV when it took over the CBS affiliation in Indianapolis...

http://www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ncs_wttv_set_13.jpg

And their update to KTVI in St Louis (with the same desk) wasn't bad either...

http://www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Screen-Shot-2015-01-30-at-9.24.10-AM-594x465.png

Both these came before WPIX's new set - so I was a bit disappointed by that, even though it was still a big improvement on what came before. It smacked of being done on the cheap - using a design company I've never heard of and recycling quite a lot of elements from their old set (resulting in two halves of the studio that have little in common).

Mind you, the worst thing is that they have a big 3x3 monitor array as the main backdrop, but insist on displaying a static CGI image of a cityscape that isn't even particularly recognisable as New York...

http://i2.wp.com/www.newscaststudio.com/wp-content/gallery/wpix-set/ncs_wpix_set_06.JPG

For at least one news special, they've used a live shot of Manhattan similar to the one they used on the old set (and WNBC uses), which looked amazing - but someone's obviously decided that the CGI one is the way forward.

One positive recent development is the addition of a Traffic Center in a separate studio - a big touchscreen and a couple of workstations with a floor-to-ceiling backdrop giving sweeping views of the Brooklyn Bridge.

(Thanks to the superb Newscaststudio for all the images)

True Tribune owns loads of stations and I would thought for their Flagship major stations they really drop the cash. Tribune is of course based in Chicago and WGNs sets have always either been over-used or rubbish. The current set was ok when it launch but its really really old and it looks super tired and they dont show any signs of replacing it. And their previous 2 sets they used until it looked like it was going to fall down. They all were refreshed to death. Its messed up those smaller stations get more attention than the flagship WGN.

Isn't WGN's set more than 10 years old? It's definitely due a revamp.

I agree that it's odd that, with the exception of KTLA, they don't seem to have given their biggest markets the polish you'd expect.

That said, WPIX has actually been through about 4 different sets in the past 6 years - so, overall, I expect they've spent more there than at KTLA, where one decent set has lasted all that time. There's a lesson in there somewhere...