24994J

My capture program is still quite glitchy, leaving the video jumpy (please see the opens I posted for reference). The sound is good, the image isn't bad, but it lacks any fluidity.

Lower your expectations. It's not going well. Hopefully by early next week.

Technically WLS airs WoF right after J!...if you're willing to ignore the 2.5 hours of news between the two.

Katie Couric at 3. That's why.

I'm already anticipating a RR repeat at 1am, even though I'd rather have the 10 o'clock airing. Update: Meanwhile, a new executive producer has been hired for the morning news. He comes from The Weather Channel, with previous stops in OKC and Phoenix. http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/08/08/abc-7-hires-weather-channel-whiz-as-morning-producer/

It's official. The new daytime lineup has been announced, and all is right with the world... http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/08/08/abc-7s-new-lineup-looks-familiar/

Hosea's in for Alan today on the 4 o'clock news. Last time I saw him do this broadcast was like 5 or 6 years ago. With how much Judy Hsu has filled in for Linda in the last 4 months, I wonder if this will be a regular thing, perhaps all in the name of giving Terrell and Tanja enough air time. They were both on this morning, with Phil in for Tracy and Diane Pathieu in for Roz.

ABC News has to put quarters in the meter at Times Square every hour they use the studio.

So, funny story. Jerry did the whole weather report tonight without that damned clicker. I haven't a clue how, unless he set up all the animations and actually timed it ahead of time, which seems to me to be a risky move.

I'm working on a montage of all of yesterday's newscasts on the set, and that's included.

"It's Channel 7! We need new batteries!" Classic.

I figured it out. Whoever installed the new lighting went to the Diane Sawyer School of Making Anchors Pop Off the Screen and Glow Like Angels. But it looks fantastic.

I can almost guarantee to you that the skyline is backlit. I'm away from my computer at the moment, so I'll explain why when I get home. They haven't used that shot in over a year. And until I give my two cents...

Since nothing structurally appears to have changed, I'm assuming it's not a monitor array.

I don't know, but up until the last newscast before the remodel, they used the weather center for every early-show hit.

Something's bothering me about these changes. The weather center seems to have been ditched in favor of only using the green screen, which means, unless the screen's location has changed, the curtain is now pretty much always down. That effectively renders the gimmick of a streetside studio pointless. Wide Shot:

Holy hell, it's more than lights. New duratrans behind each anchor and the ABC 7 appears to have been painted.

Looks like the repairs are done, and the 4 o'clock show will be back at the big kids' table. They only showed the one-shot on Linda Yu during the 3:30 tease, but things are definitely lit a little differently, though there doesn't appear to be any new set pieces. Pics are forthcoming...

Nothing new this morning. Mike Caplan even made a little joke about the desktop screens looking like something put of the old game show 'Pyramid'. Also, Hosea and Judy mentioned that they're making some changes in the main studio, and they hope to be back there "soon", sounding to me like it might not even be tomorrow. Maybe they'll be back in the SSS at 4, but I'm beginning to think that lighting might not be the only modifications being made, even though Rob Feder is typically very reliable.

Nothing new tonight. Still in the temporary abyss. One thing different today is the weather person (Troy in the morning and Jerry this evening) is in front of the chromakey during the show, instead of the weather office like last night. Whether it's in the temp studio or not, I don't know, but Troy joined Terrell and Stacey on set to close throughout this morning's news, whereas Jerry never appeared next to Ron and Kathy yesterday.

I have a feeling a new desk would be very complicated to install, as there's very little wiggle room to move it out. However, that doesn't mean it could be dismantled/destroyed first, though trashing it would be stupid because it is in immaculate shape when I sat at it. Also, new lighting is a potentially vague way of describing what's being done. Like I said, the set, despite its age, is in great condition, and some adjusted lighting (and maybe updated duras) could really add 2-3 to its life expectancy.

Confirmed by Feder on Twitter, it's new lighting. (I asked.)

They're still on the temp this morning. If it's a tech or lighting issue, they'll probably be back in the SSS tonight or tomorrow morning. If it's a refresh, probably Monday. Bigger than that? I doubt anything's going that far, but it would definitely be awhile.

This duratran is a duplicate of the male anchor backdrop. Where is it in the building? Not a clue. I know they have had a set like this for mock newscasts at the Museum of Broadcast Communications. Hell, it might be the same one, just shipped back to 190N.

Now here's an actually nice cap. I'm actually digging the set-up. There's nothing really over the top with the SSS, but there's something really appealing about such a no-frills setting like this. Kind of a fun throwback to the 20 years they sat in front of a blue wall.