12 replies to this topic

[RockSoHard]

I'm not sure if anyone caught this, but WFMY hace upgraded to HD, and has switched to a new news format, calling their newscast News 2.0. The most radical changes include, anchors standing, no news desk, and the weather segments are outside in the "weather garden". This change was made according to viewer surveys. However, their Facebook page is filled with complaints about the format.

Heres the (interesting) open: http://youtu.be/UPSBNP9Bsi0

[HulkieD]

If you're going to do an all-standing news format - which I don't necessarily oppose - you need to tweak the set to accomodate that. It looks like they built a standard set and took the desk out, and if they're trying to go for a more dynamic looking newscast that doesn't really work. For example, instead of those duratrans, put in monitors, and display content on them so that the anchor has something to visually reference.

Graphics are Gannett standard, but I love the open. A little long, but I love the black treatment of the Gannett rings at the beginning and the fast visual cuts. It's refreshing given how short and unexciting most current news opens are, and especially refreshing given how tightly standardized their particular opens are. Doesn't hurt that it works extremely well with a theme that has - seriously and legitimately - grown to be one of my personal favorites.

[Ntropolis]

The weather outside? They certainly haven't tried that before!



But yeah, the open's pretty cool...

[RockSoHard]

LOL Ntropolis, and the weather garden looks exactly the same! except there is a new waterfall feature. I also like the open, especially the Gannett Theme cut. Hulkie, I can understand that theme has grown on me in the last 4 (! Its been that long already?!) years.

I found an open for "The Good Morning Show". They are using the WTSP morning theme. (Someone recorded it playing on their phone, so it might be a little difficult to see, but the sound is okay.)

http://youtu.be/TJSAgtRv5YE

[morning traffic]

This is a joke, right?

Hopefully?

I give it a month, two maybe.

[Weeters]

That logo looks like it's straight out of the 90's.

The first logo in the open (with the cheap shatter effect) looks much better.

I haven't seen an open try to be that exciting since

[WXmanTim]

KRIV is doing something similar down here, but calling it "news evolution" and it seems to be working...ratings for all our newscasts showed a big jump in November, finishing second (behind KTRK) at Five and tied for third in late news.

The anchors do a lot of standing and moving around to different parts of the studio, with the various monitors, as well as sitting at the desk.
It's actually done quite well, technically, and reads well on tv.

That little bit that I saw of WFMT...doesn't.

[24994J]

Weeters, on 08 December 2011 - 11:30 PM, said:

I haven't seen an open try to be that exciting since

Yeah, and (in its own right) that was pretty damn epic

[RockSoHard]

Well, then again, it would make sense to have the vintage logos, When I lived in the Area, it was the "old-folk" station according to everyone. I mean, I suppose it is true, since they still show Andy Griffith at 5:30 pm weekdays. After watching the open numerous times, It does grow on you it seems.

[kjohnson]

One thing is very obvious; KSDK needs to get rid of Roberta Solomon--she's making the already cringe-worthy Gannett opens even worse. Great voice for radio, terrible voice for TV; I just don't see why they don't see it.

My imagination might be running wild here, but it looks like they are trying to cover up as much of those Gannett O&O graphics as much as possible.

[mre29]

RockSoHard, on 09 December 2011 - 12:44 AM, said:

Well, then again, it would make sense to have the vintage logos, When I lived in the Area, it was the "old-folk" station according to everyone. I mean, I suppose it is true, since they still show Andy Griffith at 5:30 pm weekdays.

Yeah, that surprised me when I was in that part of NC back in '07 for a friend's wedding. Even stranger, it wasn't the only station on the hotel's cable system that had that show on at that time; WDBJ did (and still does), as well.

[RockSoHard]

mre29, on 09 December 2011 - 06:59 PM, said:

Yeah, that surprised me when I was in that part of NC back in '07 for a friend's wedding. Even stranger, it wasn't the only station on the hotel's cable system that had that show on at that time; WDBJ did (and still does), as well.

Yes, I asked them one day, and it is because the show was taped in Mayodan (I think thats the city), and its equidistant from Roanoke and Greensboro. Interesting!

[IAmJLau]

What a joke, really. I understand standardization is tough, and it's done to save money. But, when done right, it can look halfway decent. The standards are just low here. Is it the designers fault? Not necessarily. They have very little to work with. I'd say they've done quite well for what they have to work with. Also, the station directs them what to do with the opens, the designers just do what is asked of them whether they like the look or not. However, what would help is if they got some new elements designed by a professional design house (not Pyburn, hell no) and got away from the AXIS system to go to something better like VizRT. That would make more sense and the look would simply look more professional and aesthetically pleasing.