Previous Hearst Sets

[HearstArgyleFan90 42]

I did a thread on the previous Hearst mandated graphics, but this thread will discuss the old mandated set designs Hearst stations used to have.  In particular what fascinates me are the sets Hearst stations used from the late 1990s/early 2000s until the late 2000s/early 2010s.  Those sets usually had  blue backdrops with red beams on top (seen when the camera shows the entire set and not panned in on one anchor), matching the then-current graphics package.  Some even had day and night photos of the city's skyline behind the anchor desk. 

But keep in mind, not all Hearst stations used that particular design at the time.  For instance, KMBC continued using their 1980s set (refreshed in 1994) when they used the 2nd generation camera graphics and the rings graphics.  They didn't update its set until around 2007 when they began broadcasting their newscasts in HD (they also switched to the "floating logo" graphics at the same time).  WLKY, KCCI, and WGAL didn't get new sets when they transitioned to the camera graphics either.

Anyways, I am curious to when these sets debuted.  Some debuted in 1999, some in 2000.  WTAE debuted the then-new look in September of 1999 and lasted until 2007.  And I thought it was the first H-A station to use that set design.  KOAT also rolled out a very similar looking set that same year, underwent a refresh around 2007 and lasted until 2008.  I've also noticed that WAPT and WLWT debuted new sets in 1999, and read an article about the former debuting the then-new set in April of that year.  Could it also be possible that WLWT rolled out a new set the same time it moved into its current studios in June of 1999?  And when in 1999 did WESH update its set?

[LOWERCASE GUY 268]

If I recall correctly, the shell of WLWT's set is the original from circa 2000. They just refreshed it not too long ago
 

 

 

This is from 2001, you can see the wood paneling between the anchors

 

 

[HearstArgyleFan90 42]

I thought the WLWT set was from 1999.  The design is similar to WAPT, KOAT, and WTAE.

[rkolsen 1684]

Did any of the previous Hearst sets have the ones with drop down flat panels? I don’t ever remember seeing them elsewhere. I thought that was a cool design.  There were multiple ones that would retract one between the two anchors, one as an OTS for each anchor, and one in the satellite center.  I also remember in the build up to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars they took a corner multipurpose portion of their studio and out a huge floor map of the Middle East down on the floor that curled up a bit against the walls to illustrate what was going on.  

 

WBAL got that set around 2000-2001 and don’t recall seeing anything similar.

[dabnis74 52]

Hearst did a great job with WDTN in the mid 90s. I believed it debuted back in the summer of 94 then refreshed the fall of 2002. Then the whole anchor area was changed in 2005 but kept the weather area till around 2012 when they switched to HD.

[HearstArgyleFan90 42]

On 12/19/2018 at 5:41 AM, rkolsen said:

 

WBAL got that set around 2000-2001 and don’t recall seeing anything similar.

 

WBAL updated its set around May 2000 I believe

[HearstArgyleFan90 42]

On 12/19/2018 at 7:52 PM, dabnis74 said:

Hearst did a great job with WDTN in the mid 90s. I believed it debuted back in the summer of 94 then refreshed the fall of 2002. Then the whole anchor area was changed in 2005 but kept the weather area till around 2012 when they switched to HD.

 

WCVB's set looked somewhat similar from that time

[ToriElectra 292]

2 hours ago, HearstArgyleFan90 said:

 

WCVB's set looked somewhat similar from that time

There were a LOT of sets that looked similar. I've counted KNXV's spaceship, as well as WKYC, WUSA, WOIO-WUAB, KSAT, KWGN, WBAL, and WGNX/WGCL as all having used similar sets. Does anyone know who the hell designed these things?!?!

[rkolsen 1684]

I’ll admit I contributed to this thread. But I predict it will turn into a list thread. So .