ABC changing their logo; New graphics coming for ABC owned stations

[MorningNews 1347]

On 1/31/2024 at 9:51 PM, FiveNews said:

Curious what stations KTLA streams on as I live in the market. AFAIK, they only stream thru the iHeart radio app.

I haven’t watched with any regularity in a few years but part of the morning news was simulcast on one of the radio stations at one point at least. I believe it was the 5 or 6am hour only.

[Vlad 294]

 

WLS-TV's New ABC Circle 7 (Above)

 

WABC's New ABC 7 Circle 7 (Above)

 

Is there a visual difference between the two now at this point? They look so incredibly identical, before the WLS ABC Ball was slightly off-centered and higher in the earlier days and now it closely resembles if not identical to WABC. What do you guys think?

 

 

 

Edited February 2 by Vlad

[24994J 5420]

They're identical, though the two .png files you attached aren't accurate. Those feature a different circle 7 than the 2021 versions. KABC and KGO are now identical, too, and all 4 stations use the same numeral.

[SFTV 504]

Not even a week in with the new look and they changed the X handle. However, it’s wrong

 

it was correct when they launched.  

[EJ Velazquez 52]

On 2/2/2024 at 4:36 PM, Vlad said:

 

WLS-TV's New ABC Circle 7 (Above)

 

WABC's New ABC 7 Circle 7 (Above)

 

Is there a visual difference between the two now at this point? They look so incredibly identical, before the WLS ABC Ball was slightly off-centered and higher in the earlier days and now it closely resembles if not identical to WABC. What do you guys think?

 

 

 

Looks really identical to me, now I can’t spot Chicago and New York’s ABC7 logo differences.

[24994J 5420]

1 hour ago, EJ Velazquez said:

Looks really identical to me, now I can’t spot Chicago and New York’s ABC7 logo differences.

 

These. Are. Fanmade. And. Not. Accurate. Or. Correct.

[EJ Velazquez 52]

I know they are, I’m not dumb, what I was really mentioning were these, NOW they look identical.

[Vlad 294]

From The ABC Owned Television Website:

WLS TV (ABC 7 Chicago):

 

-----------------

 

WABC TV (ABC 7 New York):

 

These are the official logos from the ABC O&O website.  WLS on top, WABC on bottom. There are some differences. But largely they are identical.

 

 

Edited February 8 by Vlad

[MediaZone4K 1788]

On 1/14/2024 at 8:07 AM, MediaZone4K said:

Now, time for that abysmal set to get updated when they move HQ. With WNBC's news upgrades, the Eyewitness News set is officially the worst in market.

On 1/16/2024 at 1:49 PM, Vlad said:

I have to constructively disagree with you MediaZone about WABC's current set being abysmal.

 

This is what I mean by abysmal. Even if the set isn't great the lighting would elevate it like the Mornings on 10 look does. 

Edited February 29 by MediaZone4K

[24994J 5420]

3 hours ago, MediaZone4K said:

This is what I mean by abysmal. Even if the set isn't great the lighting would elevate it like the Mornings on 10 look does.

 

"This is what I mean."
 

We know what the set looks like. Screenshots don't prove your point.

[MediaZone4K 1788]

5 hours ago, 24994J said:

 

"This is what I mean."
 

We know what the set looks like. Screenshots don't prove your point.

Ah yes, your daily dose of condescension and talking to people any way you want in these threds.

. "We?" Speak for yourself.

 

IMO This picture is a perfect illustration of poor grainy lighting compared to the more brightly lit, slicker looking appearence of Mornings on 10. Poor lighting compared to the sets of the competition even.

Edited February 29 by MediaZone4K

[Vlad 294]

I agree with you MediaZone, the set is a bit dated now at this point having been in use since 2012. The studio can certainly use some updates, but we have to remember how horrible their set always was even before they moved to the street studio in 2012. So I still think 'Abysmal' is a bit harsh, to say the least. They are the only station in New York to have a street studio which to me beats any other station in NY. That alone is quite amazing. Their current streetside studio, despite now being just over 10 years old, is still country MILES away better than what they had before. Their previous studio was also cramped, small, and (even burned down) only to be rebuilt again. 

 

The issues you pointed out with the camera and graininess are quite possibly rooted in two things:

 

1. They are still on 720p (two steps below 4K), so they are not able to get the best picture quality because for some reason ABC and Disney opted for 720p during the HD rollout of the late 2000s rather than 1080i which allows for better lighting and picture quality. Most people won't notice the difference between 720 progressive and 1080 interlace, but 1080 is still more pixels and thus better quality. I'm not sure if ABC will ever upgrade to 1080i but that is certainly a limiting factor.

 

2. I do agree with you that WABC's set/studio lighting has never been optimal. It's always been just fair. They've always had issues with lighting and contrast. One thing they could do that is cost-effective is simply invest more in their lighting to squeeze more life out of the current studio till they move downtown later in the decade. It would certainly add more life to their aging set.

 

Overall, I think WABC has come a very long way with its on-air appearance. It's taken them up until now really to get it right. With a couple of tweaks to the lighting and cameras, they can easily enhance their studio's look. And right now with the new group package,  it's possibly the best look they've ever had. At the time it was pretty dated and antiquated and arguably the worst in the market. I don't think their current set is all that bad, is it on par with the rest of the O&Os, I think it is actually. All the other O&Os have newer updated sets so naturally they are more modern but WABC's new studio is on the horizon with the big move for ABC downtown so I'm willing to bet they will exceed our expectations when they move down there. I hope they go with a nice futuristic "White and Blue" look similar to CBS, rather than the dark blue hues we commonly associate them with. Would be a refreshing more modern look for them.

Edited February 29 by Vlad

[NowBergen 533]

Does anyone know the construction status of the new Disney/ABC complex and when it is expected to be completed?  I doubt the bean counters at Disney want to invest much in the current Lincoln Square facilities knowing they are abandoning them at some point.

[MediaZone4K 1788]

On 2/29/2024 at 4:09 PM, Vlad said:

I agree with you MediaZone, the set is a bit dated now at this point having been in use since 2012. The studio can certainly use some updates, but we have to remember how horrible their set always was even before they moved to the street studio in 2012. So I still think 'Abysmal' is a bit harsh, to say the least. They are the only station in New York to have a street studio which to me beats any other station in NY. That alone is quite amazing. Their current streetside studio, despite now being just over 10 years old, is still country MILES away better than what they had before. Their previous studio was also cramped, small, and (even burned down) only to be rebuilt again. 

 

The issues you pointed out with the camera and graininess are quite possibly rooted in two things:

 

1. They are still on 720p (two steps below 4K), so they are not able to get the best picture quality because for some reason ABC and Disney opted for 720p during the HD rollout of the late 2000s rather than 1080i which allows for better lighting and picture quality. Most people won't notice the difference between 720 progressive and 1080 interlace, but 1080 is still more pixels and thus better quality. I'm not sure if ABC will ever upgrade to 1080i but that is certainly a limiting factor.

 

2. I do agree with you that WABC's set/studio lighting has never been optimal. It's always been just fair. They've always had issues with lighting and contrast. One thing they could do that is cost-effective is simply invest more in their lighting to squeeze more life out of the current studio till they move downtown later in the decade. It would certainly add more life to their aging set.

 

Overall, I think WABC has come a very long way with its on-air appearance. It's taken them up until now really to get it right. With a couple of tweaks to the lighting and cameras, they can easily enhance their studio's look. And right now with the new group package,  it's possibly the best look they've ever had. At the time it was pretty dated and antiquated and arguably the worst in the market. I don't think their current set is all that bad, is it on par with the rest of the O&Os, I think it is actually. All the other O&Os have newer updated sets so naturally they are more modern but WABC's new studio is on the horizon with the big move for ABC downtown so I'm willing to bet they will exceed our expectations when they move down there. I hope they go with a nice futuristic "White and Blue" look similar to CBS, rather than the dark blue hues we commonly associate them with. Would be a refreshing more modern look for them.

Thank you for articulating that respectfully. Everyone is entitled to express their opinions, the key is doing so politely and not being a keyboard warrior, unlike 24994J who consistently disrespects users on these boards despite being a moderator. 

Edited March 2 by MediaZone4K

[Muppetman03 30]

1 hour ago, NowBergen said:

Does anyone know the construction status of the new Disney/ABC complex and when it is expected to be completed?  I doubt the bean counters at Disney want to invest much in the current Lincoln Square facilities knowing they are abandoning them at some point.

It seems it's somewhat done
https://pagesix.com/2024/02/16/entertainment/abc-news-staffers-on-edge-as-network-prepares-to-move-to-nyc-no-mans-land-hudson-square/
 

Quote

Talk shows like “The View,” “Tamron Hall” and “Live with Kelly and Mark” are expected to make their move over the summer, while on hiatus. They’re all expected to have big fall premieres in the new space, but shows such as “GMA,” “World News Tonight” and New York’s local news, ABC 7, are believed to be transitioning in spring 2025, after the election.

 

[mrschimpf 2184]

2 hours ago, Vlad said:

1. They are still on 720p (two steps below 4K), so they are not able to get the best picture quality because for some reason ABC and Disney opted for 720p during the HD rollout of the late 2000s rather than 1080i which allows for better lighting and picture quality. Most people won't notice the difference between 720 progressive and 1080 interlace, but 1080 is still more pixels and thus better quality. I'm not sure if ABC will ever upgrade to 1080i but that is certainly a limiting factor.

It was more an ESPN move than ABC's decision really because 720p was better for sports at the time, along with being more conservative about data and transmission (1080i and confetti is a nightmare and awful for fast motion). It's more likely they'd upgrade to mostly a 4K flow with an actual 1080p broadcast once ATSC 3.0 rolls out beyond the early adopters (who are a bit alarmist about DRM and such; unless you're trying to start Locast 2.0 or an archivist, the regular viewer isn't going to care, and the standard is still rolling out now so you know what you're getting into) and they move to the Yards. And let's not forget for years they had to share with Live!, so finally having their full and dedicated spaces for each other (when I watch that show I just feel ill from how cramped that audience is) is going to make so much more of a difference.

 

Honestly, I'm happy about this for WABC, though the current form it has does have its charms. Whatever the national news side/GMA is annoyed about, it's going to be a lot better in the end for 7 and the syndicated shows to have standardized studios with actual spaces and no longer having to work around the limitations of Lincoln Square.

[Vlad 294]

I guess based on the PageSix article Muppetman shared, we can get to enjoy the street studio while it lasts, which will be gone by the middle of next year. Per the article, they could probably have studios in the basement of the new complex next year. Hopefully, the NYC subway rumbling underneath them won't be too loud or disruptive to the new WABC studio and broadcast, haha. 

 

Back on the topic of the graphics now, does anyone have any insight on when KABC and WPVI will adopt the O&O group package? It seems like these are the only O&Os left to shift to the new generalized look. The weather graphics haven't changed yet either for them as of today. 

Edited March 1 by Vlad

[Georgie56 3176]

18 minutes ago, Vlad said:

I guess based on the PageSix article Muppetman shared, we can get to enjoy the street studio while it lasts, which will be gone by the middle of next year. Per the article, they could probably have studios in the basement of the new complex next year. Hopefully, the NYC subway rumbling underneath them won't be too loud or disruptive to the new WABC studio and broadcast, haha. 

 

Back on the topic of the graphics now, does anyone have any insight on when KABC and WPVI will adopt the O&O group package? It seems like these are the only O&Os left to shift to the new generalized look. The weather graphics haven't changed yet either for them as of today. 

PVI already has the new weather graphics.

[ekt8750 32]

1 hour ago, Vlad said:

I guess based on the PageSix article Muppetman shared, we can get to enjoy the street studio while it lasts, which will be gone by the middle of next year. Per the article, they could probably have studios in the basement of the new complex next year. Hopefully, the NYC subway rumbling underneath them won't be too loud or disruptive to the new WABC studio and broadcast, haha. 

 

Back on the topic of the graphics now, does anyone have any insight on when KABC and WPVI will adopt the O&O group package? It seems like these are the only O&Os left to shift to the new generalized look. The weather graphics haven't changed yet either for them as of today. 

PVI has the new weather graphics and are also using the new look in image and syndie programming promos. Really the only place they aren't using it yet are the newscasts. Maybe both stations are waiting for the May books?

[Vlad 294]

Ah, yes they do! Didn't realize that! Saw them for the first time yesterday. So cool! I guess we can expect an unveiling of the new package soon. Highly curious as to how they will adopt the Move Closer To Your World music package to it.

[Mrknowitall526 111]

6 hours ago, Vlad said:

Ah, yes they do! Didn't realize that! Saw them for the first time yesterday. So cool! I guess we can expect an unveiling of the new package soon. Highly curious as to how they will adopt the Move Closer To Your World music package to it.

 

They've had the new weather graphics for many months now

[wofchristian 31]

7 hours ago, Vlad said:

Ah, yes they do! Didn't realize that! Saw them for the first time yesterday. So cool! I guess we can expect an unveiling of the new package soon. Highly curious as to how they will adopt the Move Closer To Your World music package to it.

They were the third station to get the new weather graphics.

[CraigViewer 61]

On 3/1/2024 at 10:29 AM, Vlad said:

I guess based on the PageSix article Muppetman shared, we can get to enjoy the street studio while it lasts, which will be gone by the middle of next year. Per the article, they could probably have studios in the basement of the new complex next year. Hopefully, the NYC subway rumbling underneath them won't be too loud or disruptive to the new WABC studio and broadcast, haha. 

 

Back on the topic of the graphics now, does anyone have any insight on when KABC and WPVI will adopt the O&O group package? It seems like these are the only O&Os left to shift to the new generalized look. The weather graphics haven't changed yet either for them as of today. 

I have no first hand insights.  But KABC has traditionally introduced new promos every year for its newscasts  around the date of the Academy Awards, which is always a major day for the station (with many hours of station-produced programming before and after the national ABC broadcast) as Los Angeles is the home base for the Oscars.  So, perhaps, the new O&O graphics will be unveiled on or around March 10th?

[Georgie56 3176]

WPVI hasn’t debuted the new look in full yet, but they debuted their version of the open today. (h/t @24994J)

 

 

[EJ Velazquez 52]

14 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

WPVI hasn’t debuted the new look in full yet, but they debuted their version of the open today. (h/t @24994J)

 

 

Wow, looks cool! To me honestly, it looks better than I even imagined it! Getting excited for the full look any day now basically!