Lester Holt stepping down from NBC Nightly News

[Jase 1062]

6 hours ago, carolinanews4 said:

I genuinely don't understand the angst regarding Nightly broadcasting from Studio 1A. Is it just sentimental longing for a dedicated space?

 

From a business perspective, it doesn't make a lot of sense to build a standalone studio for a show with a 22-minute runtime where the studio itself is on camera for a few minutes. The economic realities make Nightly's use of 1A completely reasonable. Heck, Nightly started switching the show from the 1A control back room during Brian Williams' tenure. I don't see the practical need for a big production space for a solo-anchored newscast like this. ABC World News Tonight uses a shared studio space, but outside of a bump shot, the show is mostly a static shot of David seated in front of an LED wall. And this is the top-rated evening newscast, and on occasion, has been the most watched show on television. 

 

So while the set in Studio 1A might be a little long in the tooth, it seems perfectly serviceable. Lester's ratings didn't drop when they moved to 1A. And I doubt Tom's would spike if they had their own space. When budgets are being slashed, the priority should be to keep investing in newsgathering resources. Building a new set to say you have a dedicated space doesn't seem like a good use of shrinking resources. But I might be missing something here.  

 

It's the overall look of Studio 1A. The set was designed for a morning show and lacks flexibility to be used in other ways, imo. With MSNBC leaving, it's highly unlikely that space will be left unused, so it opens up the possibility of Nightly moving. Plus, it wouldn't make much sense to have Llamas doing Nightly in 1A and then moving to 4E for Top Story. Best to have both programs in a new space together. Studio 4E is showing some wear and tear too these days.

Edited Friday at 05:45 PM by Jase

[Weeters 1954]

Honestly, it would not surprise me in the least if this hypothetical new 3A set ended up being for Nightly, NBC News Now, and Today.

 

Not only is a bunch of studio space and newsroom space about to open up, but technical spaces as well. It would not shock me at all if NBC chose to consolidate everything inside 30 Rock. The streetside studio thing has to be becoming more trouble than it's worth, and they're about to have at least two full control rooms open up.

[carolinanews4 385]

1 hour ago, Weeters said:

Honestly, it would not surprise me in the least if this hypothetical new 3A set ended up being for Nightly, NBC News Now, and Today.

 

Not only is a bunch of studio space and newsroom space about to open up, but technical spaces as well. It would not shock me at all if NBC chose to consolidate everything inside 30 Rock. The streetside studio thing has to be becoming more trouble than it's worth, and they're about to have at least two full control rooms open up.

 

There's definitely intriguing logic here. However, my guess is that TODAY will stay put at 10 Rockefeller Plaza. With ABC moving GMA downtown and CBS returning to that old milk factory in Hell's Kitchen (not that they have ever leveraged their Times Square location), it could be a bit of an advantage for NBC to keep 1A operating, especially with the ability to continue outdoor concerts. 

 

I think the smarter play would be to rent out one of their empty studios to a third party. This would bring in rental revenue, and 3A and 3K are able to hold audiences. And if rumors are to be believed, 6A might also be open if Clarkson winds down her show at the end of next season. (But seeing that it is a rumor the NY Post continually publishes, I'm not giving it a whole lot of weight)  I know there aren't a ton of productions looking for space right now, but it is something to consider. Speaking of renting, I'm guessing MSNBC will rent their current space from NBC until their new studios are completed. So it might be status quo for 18 months or more.  

[MediaZone4K 2210]

17 hours ago, carolinanews4 said:

I genuinely don't understand the angst regarding Nightly broadcasting from Studio 1A. Is it just sentimental longing for a dedicated space?

 

From a business perspective, it doesn't make a lot of sense to build a standalone studio for a show with a 22-minute runtime where the studio itself is on camera for a few minutes. The economic realities make Nightly's use of 1A completely reasonable. Heck, Nightly started switching the show from the 1A control back room during Brian Williams' tenure. I don't see the practical need for a big production space for a solo-anchored newscast like this. ABC World News Tonight uses a shared studio space, but outside of a bump shot, the show is mostly a static shot of David seated in front of an LED wall. And this is the top-rated evening newscast, and on occasion, has been the most watched show on television. 

 

So while the set in Studio 1A might be a little long in the tooth, it seems perfectly serviceable. Lester's ratings didn't drop when they moved to 1A. And I doubt Tom's would spike if they had their own space. When budgets are being slashed, the priority should be to keep investing in newsgathering resources. Building a new set to say you have a dedicated space doesn't seem like a good use of shrinking resources. But I might be missing something here.  

IMO it's no issue that they share a set, the problem is that the set sucks.

[Weeters 1954]

21 hours ago, carolinanews4 said:

 

There's definitely intriguing logic here. However, my guess is that TODAY will stay put at 10 Rockefeller Plaza. With ABC moving GMA downtown and CBS returning to that old milk factory in Hell's Kitchen (not that they have ever leveraged their Times Square location), it could be a bit of an advantage for NBC to keep 1A operating, especially with the ability to continue outdoor concerts. 

 

The streetside studio was an interesting concept when NBC brought it back in 1994. But, it's no longer 1994.

 

It says a lot that everyone else has abandoned/is abandoning their streetside studio concept. It doesn't magically make the show better, or increase ratings. It has become a magnet for weirdos and people with an axe to grind, and that can be seen by how the area outside 1A's home base has been filled with a bunch of giant planter boxes over the last decade. The only way you can end up on TV now (and that seems to be a lot fewer people clamoring for that than before) is by being in the area that their security and/or the NYPD can shoo you away from the window.

 

Look at the stark difference between this pic from a 1999 wild feed and nearly the same anchor position from this morning, and another similar one from this past week. You can't even see across the street anymore. Are they in New York City? Can't tell, it's entirely obscured by plants (and not even an actual plant in half of the second image, it's a screen showing a plant). The shots have all been adjusted too, go back and look at late 90's/early 2000's clips and match them up with the modern look... New York City is hidden from view. So, I ask, what is the point? 

 

[MediaZone4K 2210]

1 hour ago, Weeters said:

 

The streetside studio was an interesting concept when NBC brought it back in 1994. But, it's no longer 1994.

 

It says a lot that everyone else has abandoned/is abandoning their streetside studio concept. It doesn't magically make the show better, or increase ratings. It has become a magnet for weirdos and people with an axe to grind, and that can be seen by how the area outside 1A's home base has been filled with a bunch of giant planter boxes over the last decade. The only way you can end up on TV now (and that seems to be a lot fewer people clamoring for that than before) is by being in the area that their security and/or the NYPD can shoo you away from the window.

 

Look at the stark difference between this pic from a 1999 wild feed and nearly the same anchor position from this morning, and another similar one from this past week. You can't even see across the street anymore. Are they in New York City? Can't tell, it's entirely obscured by plants (and not even an actual plant in half of the second image, it's a screen showing a plant). The shots have all been adjusted too, go back and look at late 90's/early 2000's clips and match them up with the modern look... New York City is hidden from view. So, I ask, what is the point? 

 

Having been to that area, like you said, police shoe people away from that view of the window (W 49th Street) and everyone is told to stand behind the barricades on the side of studio (Rockefeller Plaza), so it's comparatively empty today.

 

Having gone to the Plaza myself, the audience experience is pretty lackluster.

 

The anchors barely come out onto the plaza except for the 8 AM introduction and an occasional weather hit from Al. 

 

I think an outdoor audience presence is still cool if utilized properly which Today doesn't really do anymore. 

Edited 7 hours ago by MediaZone4K

[nathannah 2480]

3 hours ago, MediaZone4K said:

The anchors barely come out onto the plaza except for the 8 AM introduction and an occasional weather hit from Al. 

 

I think an outdoor audience presence is still cool if utilized properly which Today doesn't really do anymore. 

The big problem is definitely the security needed these days; as Weeters said, it was interesting in 1994 when the worst folks you ever encountered usually posted their manifestos via the mail and everyone self-policed themselves. But once Columbine and 9/11 happened along with the Internet, stalkers, then just general distrust of mainstream media setting in, you had to block out those folks from getting on camera as a threat to the safety of others, so now outside set parts of the day you're looking at an empty window outside the Today studio where unless you brought the right sign or sob story to get in for a game or makeover on the 4th hour (or now, well pre-vetted ahead of time), there's no way you're appearing on-camera.

 

It's why the concept has just completely died locally outside of controlled weather decks and balconies; those stations just don't have the budget to provide security that NBC has, along with any idiot ready to yell 'FHRITP' and attack the talent. Who would want that headache?

 

Add to that the pointless 1515 move that still stuck CBS in a windowless studio and ABC eventually retreating to the safety of the second floor, because pedestrianization of Times Square now means you have to deal with multiple headaches outside the Naked Cowboy, the cavalcade of unlicensed characters and the 'unwashed masses', which especially after Tony Dokoupil's interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates...yeah, you'd be questioned deeply if you wanted to send him and Gayle out to do a cooking segment on the Square.

 

It's also so damned bright now with all the signage and is probably a nightmare to light/shoot around because ad screens are on 24/7 rather than just still images lit only at night (my trip to Times Square last year was on a drab and rainy day and it felt like that block was lit like 30 car lots), so that was another reason CBS had to cover the windows and ABC's only Times Square shot is now just that one generic shot of the big screen. All of that is a reason TRL is no longer a thing too; it used to be you tolerated Limp Bizkit to get to see Britney Spears, but today's music 'stans' will try to derail a free event with an artist they hate in any way they can (and the reason for the hate is probably very banal).

 

Finally, most people are there just to get a picture with the talent, so once you get it...well, you're done. It's not 1998 any longer where it'll take a bit to get that picture from the lab. You got your TikTok/Instagram moment. Instant gratification. Why stick around? Outside the concert series, who wants to stand around watching a morning show backwards through a window you probably can't even see through, probably through loudspeakers which sound awful, and an outdoor uncovered plaza subject to rain, snow or cold? You'd be better off waiting for winter to get facetime on the skating rink wide shot or under the tree, where you know you won't get hassled by regular cops and side-hustle security guards.