CNBC Gets a Bit of a Revamp on Monday

I dont quite know how much of a revamp, but during last night's coverage of the California Recall Election (Go Arnold!) there was a brief advert about changes.

They're going to be moving to a new global HQ in the US.

A much bigger main studio (7,000 sqft) with individual sets dotted around the place and a second studio for thier primetime shows.

'a bit of a revamp'.... ?
An oxymoron surely?

I've actually seen sketches of the new set. It will be on the same vein as the massive MSNBC set. But it will be much larger and will feature a huge data wall, that will incorporate the current huge one that they currently have. It supposed to have several tickers and rear projection walls. It will be created by the same designers of the MSNBC and NBC Nightly News sets. The set was posted on their site a while ago. I'm certain that the design will be slightly revamped. The main set will be slightly elevated above the huge massive data gathering floor. And there will be several broadcasting areas from within the newsroom. It will resemble on some levels a huge stock exchange floor. Some have said it will be the largest newsroom in the US. Easiy rivaling CNN and MSNBC (the current title holder) The new Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey centre will also house the offices for all of NBC Cable's operations. Including the newly acquired Vivendi Universal assets. USA NETWORKS, SCI-FI among others.
BREAKING NEWS RELEASE FROM CNBC

Now that's cool...American networks have the guts to commit to a plan and then implement it.

BBC News, on the other hand, may have new titles by 2024...and even then it'll be something that an amateur graphics designer made up quickly.

So is this just a set change for CNBC or will there be any program changes also? Will titles and graphics change?

There hasnt been anyword of graphic or format changes. But the US feed of CNBC is crap compared to the European/ Asian versions. They mostly have political and nature or golf or something after the bell. CNBC usually springs graphics changes on the fly. They try to stay away from wholesale top to bottom changes. But the headquarters change will be a big step for CNBC and NBC. They are building a huge network of channels and cable offerings that the other 2 networks have only scrambled to catch up. So it seems that MSNBC will completely take over the Fort Lee, NJ building and covert it completely to use by the NBC news division. Strangely NBC will keep its main news broadcasting site at Rockerfeller Plaza. The main news gathering will happpen from Secaucus/Fort Lee.

Here image of the exterior of their new global headquarters.
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/cnbc.jpg

still searching for interiors. I'm certain many will think its over the top.

Here is a bigger picture of the above: www.billyfinlay.com/CNBC.jpg

From reading above, is it right to say that, at the moment, CNBC and MSNBC are based in the same building, and that from Monday, CNBC will move to new world headquarters?

If so, that would make more room in the Fort Lee building for MSNBC?

Erm, yes, that building looks way over the top!

CNBC don't generally do massive changes... CNBC Europe had a big-ish relaunch back in May and even then they kept a lot of stuff including the idents, the CNBC Europe Squawk Box and Power Lunch Europe titles, and even the new programmes used the same music as their respective predecessors.

CNBC Asia badly needs to change its graphics - they are the only one of the three major CNBCs still using the old Hotboard background. CNBC Asia Squawk Box has recently changed its into and out of break themes to US CNBC Squawk Box's - previously they used CNBC Europe's music, which is now only heard at the top of the hour.

I would say it is Asia rather than US that is definitely the poor relation in the group. And it is about time Europe woke up and stopped going over to US from 12 to 4pm, as if nothing ever happens in Europe at that time! Although then we would miss Mark Haines, and David Faber vs Joe Kernen...

I think, cnbc europe need a new studio as well. they have the new graphics and presenters, but they need more than the electronic wall...

They ended Friday night's US Closing Bell with an overhead shot of the new studio. There was a desk in the centre with a CNBC logo on the front of it. To either side there were two massive screens (rear projection/plasma, those in the know will probably say). No video wall that I could see, though maybe there is one (having said that, CNBC US seemed to use their video wall as a massive decoration, rather than the useful stuff that CNBC Europe do). The two screens were being tested with various graphics, including what looked like a new logo for Open Exchange.

There were some mildly funny exchanges between Joe Kernen, Ted David, and Michelle Curuso-Caberera on the move too. (Ted, Michelle, and another chap filled in for Maria Bartiromo and Tyler Mathison on Friday).

Where to begin!

Firstly their now building is really good. They did a seqment on outside the box there showing you all the studios, the control room (really big and impressive) and a tour of the whole place. I like how everything is digital and they have a massive network storage room (looks like a data center).

The studios are quite nice as well but all I have seen is the squawkbox section so far.

They completely changed the graphics. The squawkbox title graphics are really nice, along with the astons. However I personally think that they have edged back to the period where all the graphics were blue and yellow for the charts. I think I will have to wait and see how it ties in with the rest before I make any more comments on that.

Is there anyone in the US that is able to get a screengrab of CNBC in the US as CNBC Europe overlay their own ticker over the US one.