Random WBBM Thread

[24994J 5621]

32 minutes ago, WeatherandTraffic said:

I think the 4pm has been cancelled as my guide and the CBS tv schedule states it's judge judy reruns. Is it bc of NCAA tournament or did they abandoned ship. Also Ed Curran has been off the air for a while. I don't think he left or got fired since he is still promoted as part of the weather team.

 

Just a scheduling error. The 4pm still exists. As for Ed, his regular car segment hasn't been posted to the station's website since the fall, and I don't believe he's been on the air at all in 2022. He has, however, remained active on Twitter. I don't want to speculate, but he hasn't looked the picture of health, the last several times I'd seen him on-air, but he's also in his mid-60s. Hoping for the best.

 

This appears to be his most recent appearance, based on the station's YouTube page.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by 24994J

[Dustin 0]

Just walked by 22 West Washington and snapped these photos.

[24994J 5621]

51 minutes ago, Dustin said:

 

 

The most expensive overflow newsroom real estate in the country.

[Jase 1065]

21 hours ago, Dustin said:

Just walked by 22 West Washington and snapped these photos.

 

Looks like they got around to cleaning up the lobby/main entrance. It was looking pretty rough for quite a while. 

[R.R. 96]

Ed Curran talks about why he was away. He’s expected to be back 4/2!

[Spring Rubber 714]

So glad for Ed, and here's to his continued health!

[NBC 5 Chicago 196]

From FEDER. Joe Donlon moved from NewsNation to CBS 2. Effective May 2nd he'll anchor CBS 2 News @ 5, 6, and 10pm. Brad Edwards moves to CBS News Chicago streaming service and continues as investigative reporter. 

 

[nathannah 2493]

Called it in the NN thread when the departure PR came out, and am holding off my Brainy Smurf impression that he'd end up at 'BBM.

[Georgie56 3318]

Lost in this: CBS News Chicago will start producing exclusive streaming-only newscasts, like Boston and Bay Area already do.

[Geoffrey 872]

I'm sure THIS is finally the time a WBBM anchor change will make them #1. 

[Georgie56 3318]

WBBM is bringing back the streetside studio and jumbotron.

[Spring Rubber 714]

5 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

WBBM is bringing back the streetside studio and jumbotron.

Wow, how about that. As far as set design goes, are they restricted to following certain CBS O&O design elements? I wonder how much creative liberty they'll have with how they use the space.

[MorningNews 1483]

I’m very happy about this decision but also wonder what they expect to get out of the move.

[24994J 5621]

It's been 5 years since they debuted the group-wide set, so one would think that they could opt for a new design. That said, if it were laid out like the original 2008 set, they could totally fit the current set pieces into that area, while expanding the weather center, like Lyons is promising.

 

As for what value there is in making this move, ultimately it's an investment in the visibility of the product, but only because they couldn't get any takers for the space. Because they have it, they're going to use it. I doubt it's much more complicated than that.

[Weeters 1969]

The article to me reads like they're only building a "state-of-the-art weather center" in the space and not trying to replace the current news set. Weather is something that wasn't given much attention on the current O&O sets, so that makes sense. 

[24994J 5621]

I think there's definitely a possible gray area, with how it was worded. Just a weather center is definitely a possibility, but my reading took it as set PLUS expanded weather center.

 

I guess we'll see.

[GodfreyGR 687]

1 hour ago, Weeters said:

The article to me reads like they're only building a "state-of-the-art weather center" in the space and not trying to replace the current news set. Weather is something that wasn't given much attention on the current O&O sets, so that makes sense. 

Weather Center, but there would still be space for a small set. And with Brad Edwards reassigned to CBSN Chicago, they could put a small enough set in to give the OTT a different look from the traditional news set?

[brb588 113]

23 hours ago, Weeters said:

The article to me reads like they're only building a "state-of-the-art weather center" in the space and not trying to replace the current news set. Weather is something that wasn't given much attention on the current O&O sets, so that makes sense. 

But that's a lot of space for just a weather center. That 2008 set was pretty spacious, and it included a nice sized  weather set. It would also be kind of weird for the weather person to be in one area of the building and the rest of the news team in another.

[Greggo 358]

On 6/24/2022 at 11:23 AM, MorningNews said:

I’m very happy about this decision but also wonder what they expect to get out of the move.

They’ve been paying rent on it so I guess they finally decided they should put it to some sort of use instead of just flushing money down the drain. It was up for sublease for about five years and they had no takers. If they did a somewhat standard 20-year lease, they’re stuck there for about six more years. 

[Jase 1065]

On 6/24/2022 at 1:54 PM, GodfreyGR said:

Weather Center, but there would still be space for a small set. And with Brad Edwards reassigned to CBSN Chicago, they could put a small enough set in to give the OTT a different look from the traditional news set?

My take is that they build a simple set (with an large weather center for better presentations and whatnot). They would be foolish to only build just a weather center given the space.

I’m willing to bet they use it for not only CBSN and other newscasts (mornings??), but CBS Weekend News (Saturday) too. I mean..if you’re making the investment, might as well get as much out of it as you can. 

[24994J 5621]

13 minutes ago, jase said:

I’m willing to bet they use it for not only CBSN and other newscasts (mornings??), but CBS Weekend News (Saturday) too. I mean..if you’re making the investment, might as well get as much out of it as you can. 

 

Depending on what all they plan, of course, the coming 9am newscast would seem like a solid candidate to originate streetside.

[R.R. 96]

I took some time out to catch on the 4pm and finally seeing that CBS 2 not only uses the “Swinging” cut of “The Enforcer” package for “NonStop News” in the morning but also being used for “Four Stories At Four” 

[R.R. 96]

Marissa Para is set to leave CBS 2 within the next two weeks.

[Jase 1065]

Quick update…. Construction of the new Jumbotron has begun (all the video panels have been removed) with a ton of wiring work being done currently. No work has started on the street side studio as of yet. 

[Georgie56 3318]

As a result of the new 9am newscast being anchored by the regular morning team, Ed Curran and Robb Ellis are the new 11am team.

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by Georgie56