KSAT New Building

[sanewsguy 511]

Yet another station here is getting a new building, this time it's KSAT. Here's the article from the Express-News:

 

KSAT anchors thrilled about new TV digs

The KSAT news team can't wait to move into their spiffy new station.

 

By Jeanne Jakle : October 22, 2013 : Updated: October 23, 2013 3:21pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAN ANTONIO — KSAT-TV's newscasters have been looking even more chipper of late — and it isn't just because of continued strong ratings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone from Isis Romero to Ursula Pari to Mark Austin to Leslie Mouton raved about their upcoming move into TV digs that finally will take them into the 21st century.

 

“I love where I work,” Mouton said, “but this is a very old building, and it's so exciting to think of having a brand-new desk, more space and updated bathrooms and makeup areas!”

 

Her morning/noon co-anchor agreed. “I like the idea that everything will be new, including the furniture,” Austin said. “When I arrived in late '98 it was vintage Washington Post.”

 

The place bore a strong resemblance to the 1976 film about Watergate, “All the President's Men,” he explained.

 

“All that was missing was Jason Robards screaming 'WOODSTEIN!' from a corner office,” he said. “Why was 'rust' such a popular color in the '70s?”

 

The drabness will be gone as early as next May. KSAT's faded and outdated old offices — at 1408 N. St. Mary's St., where employees have worked since the ABC affiliate first signed on as KONO-TV back in 1957 — will be traded for a roomier, brighter, two-story, state-of-the-art station and studio that will be enhanced by “a front yard” of trees and lush foliage.

 

Another plus: Staffers get to remain in their nostalgic location just north of downtown. The new KSAT, from OCO Architects and Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, is being constructed in the station's parking lot.

 

“It's a big step into the future,” KSAT General Manager Phil Lane said. “We visited Rackspace, Facebook and Linked-In, along with other offices that have innovative, creative, open-spaced floor plans to improve workflow and create a sense of community for employees.”

 

Romero, who co-anchors the 10 p.m. news, wrote that she is “thrilled” about the new building.

 

“I've always thought of KSAT as an innovative place to work, and our new facility will certainly reflect that,” she added. “Though working in a construction zone can be trying, there's a mutual sense of accomplishment as we see it come closer to completion.”

 

Romero and KSAT anchor vet Pari emphasized how psyched they are about what promises to be a greatly improved newsroom that will facilitate better storytelling and editorial discussion. On a lighter note, both women said they're thrilled about areas that also will accommodate the cosmetic side of television news: makeup, hair, clothes.

 

“The dressing room should be really nice,” Pari said. “I spend far more time in it as I grow older!”

 

However, Romero did bemoan one thing: the “tearing down of (meteorologist) Steve Browne's garden,” a patch next to the current station where he grows lettuce, kale and tomatoes. Every year, Browne makes a festive spaghetti dinner for his co-workers from the veggies in that garden.

 

The anchorwoman need not fret. Station spokesman David Cuccio promised a new Browne garden, “and outdoor kitchen as well!”

Here's some pictures:

This is of their current building back in 1957 when it was just nearing completion. The building looks mostly the same but they have a lot of trees and landscaping blocking the view from the street, and there is an actual parking lot now.

 

A couple renderings of the new building:

 

I presume the existing building will then be demolished to make way for parking. Nice to know they'll be staying downtown and once WOAI moves next year to the KABB building (that was also mentioned in the article, but I'll post that portion in the Sinclair thread), they'll be the only commercial station to still have studios downtown, while all the others move to the northwest side. The PBS station is the only other one with studios downtown.

 

You may remember, earlier this year, KWEX also got new studios.

 

The one thing I hope they get with this new building is a REAL set.

[TexasTVNews 1377]

I called KAST anchor Steve Spriester exclusively last night, and he told me that the're very excited about KSAT's new building. But here's the good news and bad news Spriester told me.

 

Good News: Newsroom will be expanded.

Bad News: No New Set/Same Anchor Desk & Green Screen.

[sanewsguy 511]

 

I called KAST anchor Steve Spriester exclusively last night, and he told me that the're very excited about KSAT's new building. But here's the good news and bad news Spriester told me.

 

Good News: Newsroom will be expanded.

Bad News: No New Set/Same Anchor Desk & Green Screen.

 

Glad they are expanding the newsroom because right now, it looks horribly dated.

 

As far the set, they are not moving in until May, so they may end up changing their mind. Also, note that they don't have an ND right now. They may get an ND that wants a real set (and hopefully if they get one, it'll look like KPRC's).

 

Having said that, I'll withhold judgment until the building is completed.

[sanewsguy 511]

KSAT moved into their new building over the weekend and that's where newscasts are now originating from. This has to be one of the quietest and smoothest moves. There was no interruption in the signal, no technical glitches with newscasts, which means only one thing, P-N purchased the same exact equipment for the new building that was in the old, and they may have moved most of the equipment over to the new facility rather than buying brand new gear.

 

And if you were hoping for them to get a new look, music or an ACTUAL set, nope didn't happen. Everything's exactly the same. Except it looks like they don't have their stand up area/weather center anymore (which were real). So maybe a new set is in the works and the current setup is temporary. After all, they did say "new technology and lots of exciting stuff" are on the way in the next few weeks. I'm fairly certain the building was built with enough space for a full set.

 

They showed video of the demo crew tearing down the old building here. Another one with Greg Simmons showing us what he's accumulated in his desk over the years.

 

Their GM is not letting them show pictures of the new building on-air until it looks nice and tidy (they're still moving everything in) lol. Mark Austin just said that on the morning news.

[easttxtv 7]

Saw this slideshow on KSAT's site while looking at the previously-linked reports:

http://www.ksat.com/news/images-old-ksat-building-demolished/25151732

[Breaking News 829]

Will they have a real set not the virtual set?

[sanewsguy 511]

 

Will they have a real set not the virtual set?

 

Still using the virtual set. However, I have a hunch that the newscasts and master control are still coming from the old building. Reason I suspect this is because the anchors said the demolotion crews tore down "most of the old building" but not all of it. Their stand up/weather sets are still intact. They very well may have moved it to the new building but something tells me that they have not fully moved in and a real set may be in the works.

 

Steve Spriester did the tease for the 5PM news from their new newsroom, and damn, it's really impressive. The stand up area in there is really nice. The new facility won't be fully functional for "the next few weeks" so maybe, just maybe, they are constructing an actual set.