NECN Debuts Brand New Look - Updated

It's been a long time coming. We first told you that New England Cable News was getting a brand new set and look on August 4, 2014, and after months of planning and construction it's finally here.

The unveiling of the brand new, state-of-the-art news set capped a year-long transformation at the network that also includes a brighter and more modern newsroom, upgraded tools and technology and a new focus on breaking news and weather coverage.

“Over the last year, necn has gone through a complete revitalization with one goal in mind – to bring our viewers across New England the best breaking news and weather coverage possible,” said Mike St. Peter, Senior Vice President and General Manager of necn, who joined the network just over a year ago and is leading its transformation thanks to a significant investment from NBCUniversal. “Now that much of our work is complete, we invite all New Englanders to tune into the new necn to see our in-depth reporting on the local stories that are matter most to them.”

The network had debuted a new logo and color scheme on its website last August when it took the look of other NBC owned station sites.

The new set debuted on "necn Today" at noon on February 11 anchored by Brian Shactman and Bridget Blythe with chief meteorologist Matt Noyes on weather.

The new studio – home to necn’s nearly 70 hours of live programming each week – now opens into the network’s redesigned newsroom, fostering a spirit of collaboration among the entire news team and improving the flow of information at all stages of the news gathering process.

The new studio offers the following features:

• A total of 46 high-definition monitors clustered in multiple locations throughout the studio, including 18 screens that are mounted to create a “video corner,” which will enhance visual storytelling during major news events
• A “working” Weather Center where the network’s “Early Warning Weather” team of meteorologists will both prepare and deliver their forecasts for all of New England, including a 10-day forecast every weekday morning so local viewers can get ready for any upcoming storms or inclement weather
• A rotating anchor desk that will offer flexibility during live newscasts throughout the day
• An interactive screen that will serve as a “giant iPad” for journalists during their reports
• A newly designed interview space for one-on-one in-depth interviews.

The network’s recently renovated newsroom, which is now connected to the studio to create a much larger open space, also includes new on-air locations, such as a live spot at the Assignment Desk so viewers can witness the news gathering process as it develops. Additionally, the updated newsroom integrates the digital team seamlessly into ongoing news gathering operations, prioritizing the multi-platform approach so New Englanders can access news updates as they happen.

The new set, while not a direct reflection of NBC News or MSNBC, fits within the style of the studios at 30 Rock, and is a huge upgrade from their previous set. It is also very versatile, and is capable of about 40 different camera shots.

No mention of any of the changes was mentioned during the debut newscast, but on-air talent did take to social media telling viewers of the changes.

In addition to the upgraded facilities, necn has also made the following investments over the last year:

• Hiring a seasoned news management team, including News Director Kenny Plotnik and Assistant News Director Ben Dobson, who collectively bring more than a half century of journalism experience to the network
• Boosting live news coverage, growing from nine hours each weekday to a minimum of 12.5 hours, with a renewed focus on delivering the best breaking news and weather coverage to the market
• Investing in new equipment, such as a new satellite truck and new cameras, including backpack units to give journalists more flexibility in their reporting
• Upgrading technology to enhance and accelerate news gathering, including cloud-based transmission of video and Internet software based scanner technology
• Re-establishing necn’s New Hampshire bureau
• Introducing a news app to deliver consumers the information they need on the go from their smartphone or tablet with an easy to navigate design
• Launching a new graphics package with a sleek, modern design and integrating new music into the newscasts.

NBCUniversal-owned necn is the nation’s largest regional news network and has its studios and offices in Newton, MA. It launched on March 2, 1992.

Finally, first on New England One, you can take a look at the brand new set and graphics below. We will update with video soon.

 

SCREENSHOTS

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://www.newenglandone.com/news/international-interest/item/672-discovery-rolls-out-tlc-in-austria.html#sigProId839ea9b1ee

BEHIND THE SCENES

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://www.newenglandone.com/news/international-interest/item/672-discovery-rolls-out-tlc-in-austria.html#sigProIdc02a3b4e1f

Updated with information from necn press release.