CNN Moving to Hudson Yards -NYC

They probably didn’t want to rock the boat too much presentation wise. Additionally they may wanted to have a more cohesive style with their studios in Washington. It’s a definite evolution.

Impressively that NY "set" CNNI are using for the weekend evening bulletins is worse than what came before - it makes the Sky News secondary set seem positively outstanding by comparison.

There are only usually three bulletins a week on CNNI that come from that New York 'set' - two on a Friday evening and one on a Saturday (sometimes an extra Friday one if there is no State of America, and occasionally the business shows) plus CNN News Now. In that context I can understand why CNNI don't want to invest in anything more elaborate just for 90 minutes a week - and using a large CNN/US studio would probably increase staffing costs. There doesn't seem to be anything 'in between' this set up and a large studio at CNN New York - the studio used for Early Start/CNN US Newsroom seems bigger than the previous set they used

From a studio perspective it would probably make sense to return this shift to Atlanta, where the studio is already in use at similar times for World Sport - but that would mean Zain Asher relocating back to Atlanta, or being found a new shift

It is interesting though that whenever London covers on a weekend - such as last weekend - the studio gets used. I guess that fact the London studio is far smaller than what CNN New York has makes this more affordable.

(Ideally the New York CNNI Newsroom shifts would have more bulletins and that could help make the case for designing a better set)

Indeed that last sentence is probably the crux of the matter. CNN's news output at weekends isn't plentiful anyway but it's particularly pathetic on weekend evenings/overnights so there's no incentive to use a proper studio for the very sparse bulletins. However, the set up does look and come across as cheap especially on a global news channel.

I do think if they do want to use New York at the weekend using the Brooke Baldwin wall of the Newsroom/Early Start set and creating a Skyline look there like they had for Newsroom LA and have for the CNNI Atlanta bulletins would work. Those backdrops despite being similar in concept to the NY backdrop are far nicer on-screen and have much more depth.
Though as you say using Atlanta would probably make more sense or having London doing weekend daytime since there are a fair few anchors spare in London. With the 3 daily business shows from New York (First Move, The Express and QMB) and how often Quest is abroad filming shows like World of Wonders or Business Traveller there's plenty of business programming that Zain could cover in New York. Her energetic style too much more suits the business programming than news programming in my view.

Quest is back and in the ''new'' studio. Think I prefer the old background.

This ....

This is the view from the 19th floor at the new @CNN Hudson Yards offices in New York. pic.twitter.com/27vcLuJkLU

— Wolf Blitzer (@wolfblitzer) June 21, 2019

And that's why they don't have a real view.

Interesting that 'The Situation Room' came from a CSO studio that day and not the newsroom like it did when they were at Columbus Circle.

A surprise CNN HD has launched on BTTV today.

Here’s an article briefly discussing the IP plant CNN installed in Hudson Yards. They plan on transitioning all bureaus to IP, with London coming online soon.

https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/236669/cnn-rides-the-ip-train-into-hudson-yards/

Interesting to see CNN Domestic have been utilising CNNI anchors this week. Amara Walker and Julian Chatterly on Early Start and this morning, Chatterly is presenting New Day.

Julia Chatterly by the way is prolific. I wonder what Americans feel about waking up to an English accent delivering their news. A first for CNN Domestic I think.

Since these shows are now also part of CNNI schedule maybe they think it's ok to use CNNI anchors sometimes.

BTW, can this topic be merged with the main CNN topic so we don't have discussions about CNN in two places.