The news is starting to look different in Boston, as four of the five news stations start to debut new set designs.
The news is starting to look different in Boston, as four of the five news stations start to debut new set designs.
Usually, only one station at a time goes through a set change, maybe two, but having four out of the five stations doing so seems unprecedented.
Click next to go through the details station by station.
WBZ News
WBZ debuted a refreshed news set (technically it was a set refresh, but it looks like a brand new one) on August 29. They had already unveiled the new CBS O&O graphics package a few weeks earlier.
The set was originally designed by Jack Morton PDG and debuted in 2011. In 2012, the set received a small refresh which included the installation of the 5x3 monitor wall behind the anchor desk.
Designed by Clickspring Design, and fabricated by Mystic Scenic Studios, the new set features a lot of warm wood tones in addition to color-changing backlit panels - Blue for afternoon and evening newscasts, yellow for WBZ This Morning.
The footprint of the set remains the same for the most part, as does the 3x5 monitor wall behind the anchor desk. Other than that, most other elements of the design have been replaced.
The anchor desk is new, the interview set has been completely redone, there is a new corner standup location with huge four LED displays that features a video loop of Boston, and a new weather standup with the weather center in the background.
The new interview area features a new monitor "strip" flanked by wood tones on either side, with color-changing backlit panels on the top and bottom. The interview anchor desk has also been replaced with a white leather sofa.
Take a look at some images and video of the new set:
http://www.newenglandone.com/local/boston/5388-a-scenic-change-in-boston.html?showall=1#sigProIde6e73bdcf6
FOX 25 News
FOX 25 debuted its new set on September 18, the int first major overhaul the station has had since 2000.
The new set replaces the open newsroom concept with a more traditional news set featuring a newsroom background.
The set was designed by FX Design Group, which designed the stations current weather center that debuted in February.
The set features a new anchor desk flanked by two vertical 84" monitors, with a re-furnished newsroom in the background. All of the old graphic branding that was on the upper walls of the newsroom were replaced by backlit background graphics featuring the new FOX 25 logo.
To the right of the anchor desk is a 20-foot wide, 6-foot tall 6x3 monitor wall framed by the same backlit panels as the weather center. A new standup location was also added after the monitor wall ends.
Take a look at some images and video of the new set:
http://www.newenglandone.com/local/boston/5388-a-scenic-change-in-boston.html?showall=1#sigProId047f0c791d
7 News
WHDH 7 News is in the middle of its newsroom revamp which started on August 22. Designed and being constructed in-house, the set is expected to debut in 2-4 weeks.
Sources tell New England One that the breaking news desk is currently completed, with the small monitors that were there being replaced by a "giant" LED panel.
The below balcony area has been replaced, and will feature an internally lit frame and a new video wall. Behind the wall will be an area that producers and writers will be relocated to.
A new cat walk has been installed in front of the new video wall, which will line up with the new internally lit frame that will go around the wall. It will look similar to WSVN's monitor wall under the balcony.
All of the backlit duratrans are also being replaced in this redesign.
The giant LED screen on the balcony is being updated to include new LED panels to the left and right of it, which will look similar to the LED wall that WSVN has on their balcony.
The station also installed 15 new ultra-hd monitors last week.
The weather center is also getting a much needed revamp.
If all goes as planned, the station will debut a new graphics package as well.
necn, NBC Boston, and Telemundo Boston
necn/NBC Boston and Telemundo Boston are going through some set changes as well.
A new studio B is being built, which will look very similar to studio A.
When complete, necn and Telemundo Boston will move in to Studio B.
We hear that Studio A will get some tweaks, and will be the main studio used by the new NBC Boston.
The stations are moving to a new Ross Overdrive system that will automate the technical directing and eventually the graphics and audio.
There will also be two control rooms, which means two stations can be on the air at the same time. NBC Boston will take precedent over the other stations, but they should be able to utilize both studios and control rooms at the same time for NECN and NBC Boston or Telemundo.
Master control for NBC Boston will be hubbed in Colorado with the rest of the NBC Owned and Operated stations. Master control for necn will remain in the building so the station has more control with a new automation system that they are implementing for newscasts using the Dalet rundown system.
In a big breaking news event, NBC Boston will be simulcast on necn so they don't have 3 stations trying to go live at the same time, and since the necn/NBC Boston teams appear on both station anyways.
As far as a new graphics package, NBC Boston will be getting the new NBC "Look N" that launched a few months ago on other NBC O&O's.
As far as signal goes, the plan is to put NBC Boston on WNEU for the interem. NBC is currently searching for better locations, but it's tough with the FCC's spectrum auction going on right now. The station did form an LLC in June called "WBTS Television, LLC" which recently purchased WTMU-LP, a repeater station in Boston, but even with that solution, the signal won't reach the entire market.
WCVB NewsCenter 5
WCVB is not currently going through any set re-design, but creative services director Russ Nelligan tells New England One that some enhancements are coming to the set in 2017.
"WCVB is coming off of a significant renovation of its news set within the past two years that included the creation of an expansive 12 monitor weather-wall covering 4'x14' feet and an eye-popping main anchor backdrop with *twenty-seven* 46" monitors covering a whopping 6'x34' feet. We also added two 90" monitors, an 80" monitor and two 3'x5' foot display areas making it arguably the most technologically advanced in the local market. WCVB is planning some exciting changes and enhancements to its news set in 2017 with a goal of continuing to lead the market in innovation and providing depth, delivering context, and displaying compelling visuals to accompany the impressive number of stories uncovered by Boston's best-known, most-connected reporters. Plans are still being finalized and additional details will be made available at a later date."
