TSSZNews

Having one of the vocal "ooo"s at the end would've been

Watching these debut on the larger markets, I think I know what the problem is with the new look: It clashes with all the other production elements inside the newscast. On WFTS and KNXV the big problem is seeing the flat look against very complex set elements, physical AND virtual. It doesn't match. In the case of WFTS, it doesn't even match the station brand. They've built up ABC Action News now for almost 20 years, this feels completely antithetical to the brand, and in that particular station's case, they know it because they're trying to use more complex animations and somewhat harder cuts of music on air. Really, there needed to be set changes across the board to something that matched the look--something that complements the clean message the look's trying to convey. Video walls alone can't do that. Meanwhile, at WTXL or KXXV, it feels a bit more in line, because the newscast pacing is a bit slower, sleepier, and not over the top. That's where this look is going to work best: In the smaller and more traditional news focused markets. But Detroit? Nashville? Cleveland? Denver? Vegas? Maybe even home base in Cincy? Look out!

--Is that the only non-ABC/Cap Cities station to use those graphics? I can't remember the look being on anything beyond them.

They're supposed to be opening a new DC bureau in March...don't put it past 'em.

It'd easier to make that call with some video reference. It would be extremely difficult, but not impossible, to replicate that depth in 3D space with a print.

I beg your pardon - you are absolutely right. My fault!

I don't know why they would go to the trouble of another remodel when they're a couple years out from moving to Hudson Yards though... I could see this being a permanent spot for This Week for 2020 to be honest--a lot of the BG elements look too produced for it to be a one-off as it is, and the execution was solid.

With Miami now safe, and Boston 25 in a bit of an identity crisis, he'd be smart to tie any swap to a new agreement for WSVN. They're still the top FOX affiliate in the country, and FOX got burned once in Charlotte with an O&O - I'm sure they'd be happy with an upgrade in Boston.

Hearst just made a position for Today alum Jeff Rossen's consumer reports and his team. Must-runs aren't going anywhere on Hearst.

I've not seen NBC do it for the most part - most of the time you see Today rerun or Access. CBS still has an Overnight News but it's taped in advance, so maybe adding EN to that gives the affiliates who want it a breather off buying syndie shows. Though with how much they've touted CBSN (where Evening airs at I think 10PM ET) and now rolling out on the O&Os, I don't really see the purpose.

They have been hiring for technical roles in DC, and there's always been a control room there, so it's safe to say at least a good chunk of the production is coming from DC.

Aesthetically, it's the nicest set they've had since...well, the last Washington set. I wish it didn't give such a CNN / FOX O&O feel, but that's sort of to be expected with the new EP coming from the Situation Room. I hope they find good use for those floor panels. Visually, it's the most polished look since the Couric era. They really could have put their money where their mouth is and led with politics tonight if that's the whole reason to set up shop there. A little disappointed it was weather instead.

That's the big problem with the show moving to Washington, though--does the American public really want even the perception of another newscast focused on politics when there are so many dedicated to the cause, and so many speaking to any number of different politically-minded choirs? I'm not saying leading with weather every night is the way forward, either. There's room for one of the national newscasts to do in-depth reporting every night, CBS would fit the bill like a glove, and they used to do it during the Pelley era. Even something akin to CBC's current format of The National where it's not a clean introduction of the news of the day, but rather an analytical approach to the news with investigative reporting sprinkled in, would work. Instead, they're trying to copy ABC and it shows.

The whole thing's kind of all over the place -- the open screams Linear Drift, the lower-thirds feel like RenderOn, and I see some hints of the last-gen Access Hollywood look later in the show. Their headline bed is a library track from NSM and if you were jamming to the opening to Telemundo like I was, I have good news.

In another universe, it is! Nice look--if it indeed was in-house, well done. Hope it makes its way to other stations in the group.

I think the look is better for WTXL than the Raycom Limerick look it replaced, which has not aged well at all. But it's not going to fly in larger markets without a lot more Inerg...um, energy, and that goes for both visuals AND music. There's a lot that can can be done to make a panel look like this interesting. KTVU's opens are the closest I could point to as a proper execution.

Re: KPTM - pretty sure news is still coming out of Fresno but unsure if weather is based in Omaha--that may explain the discrepancy.

Is....is that SCOTT CHAPIN???

Even more interesting on that KJRH tape - there's a cut of Finale used in one of the weather promos.

Interesting time to experiment given we're at the November book...

It's weird because the previous FTN studio was perfectly serviceable for the Evening News and was only a year or so old - and IIRC Norah anchored EN from there a couple times and it looked really good. An 11PM or otherwise late national news won't work - too many are in bed by that hour and it would probably need to be "edgy" to have a snowball's chance. What I do think would work is someone expanding their evening newscast to an hour each night, so there's more opportunity to produce and air stories with depth and not try to jam everything most of the public already knows into 90 second packages--basically put on a watered down 60 Minutes, but every night. That's basically what Scott Pelley's Evening News was, and even in a 30 minute slot it was excellent. As the syndication market falters and more programming's coming in-house, I wonder what network would have the guts to try it. CBS, honestly, is a prime candidate. Their syndie arm just dropped the Insider and while Inside Edition filled the hole in a lot of markets, that time could absolutely be spent putting better content on the air. I bet plenty of station groups would love to not have to pay for another half-hour of programming for their stations.

Kinda wonder if ViacomCBS would buy MediaWorks out - it would be an excellent complement to TEN in Australia and it absolutely makes sense to do in this "bigger is better" world of scale.

Based on the reactions to this-- I cannot wait for the shitstorm to ensue when WNEP picks up the Tegna theme.

Careful what you wish for...

That's fair - but I've seen faster course corrections. I wonder if the FTVLive piece alludes more to the idea of giving local stations more autonomy in the presentation. They haven't really messed with KFMB since the acquisition, for example. KPNX, KGW, KIII and KING have all largely been left alone in this. Same can probably be said for WTLV/WJXX and WBIR. I'd argue WVEC's largely been left out of the experiment--probably because they learned their lesson the one night they demoed a "different" 11PM newscast live (wish I could find that because it makes all the current experience on the air at the other stations look like 60 Minutes!) KUSA found success with Next and they remain on solid ground. I suspect WBNS and WTHR will be able to stay the course as well. It's mostly been the runners-up or bottom-dwellers--and, for some reason, Cleveland and Dallas--that have had to deal with this. This really isn't hard - all they had to do was find a way to replicate the Next format at the rest of their stations. Maybe there's hope yet if a course correction is indeed coming.