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WMAR Launches New Set Tonight


rkolsen

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According to TVNewsCheck WMAR TV is launching a new set this evening. I thought something was in the works after noticing in the past week their show In Focus appeared to be taped in front of a green screen.

 

The set will include 49 monitors for story telling, a 400 square feet social media center and a new 10 station WSI weather center.

 

It's interesting to note now three of Baltimore's stations are based on the WSI Max system save for WJZ which still uses AccuWeather. The article did not make any mention of whether they integrated their Baron branded "Maryland's Most Powerful" dropper radar into the WSI system or if it was ditched.

 

It's nice seeing WMAR get some love from Scripps. It seems like they were the red headed step child of the group. I do wonder if this was planned before or after last years barricade situation.

 

I assume they upgraded their studio lighting and I truly hope they upgraded their cameras. Their previous combination resulted in extremely soft and flat images. When converted to high definition they used a prosumer type of ENG camera with a studio kit.

 

Here are some behind the scenes pictures courtesy of Wyatt Everhar's Facebook page.

 

11112325_10152987344433300_4924943649966576039_o.jpg

 

11146457_10152987345883300_9005753218864711844_o.jpg

 

From the looks of it it appears to be similar to the standard Scripps Devlin sets that have been launched within the past year but with more of a weather center.

 

I will record clips on my DVR but I may not post them tonight.

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Comparison of the old and new weather center:

 

https://twitter.com/kellyfromabc2/status/590153408725790720

 

https://twitter.com/adrienneabc2/status/590176079123460097

 

I see they kept the In Focus part of their set in tact and there appears to be no chroma key in any of these pictures. I wonder how sharp an image can be illuminated on those LED panels on either side of the 3x3 home base area.

 

There also appears to be no sign of the Scripps logo in any of these pictures. It seemed like they always slip it in somewhere. I will say they have gotten more inconspicuous compared to its location on WPTV's set. Didn't they place the logo on the side of KSHB's desk?

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According to TVNewsCheck WMAR TV is launching a new set this evening. I thought something was in the works after noticing in the past week their show In Focus appeared to be taped in front of a green screen.

 

The set will include 49 monitors for story telling, a 400 square feet social media center and a new 10 station WSI weather center.

 

It's interesting to note now three of Baltimore's stations are based on the WSI Max system save for WJZ which still uses AccuWeather. The article did not make any mention of whether they integrated their Baron branded "Maryland's Most Powerful" dropper radar into the WSI system or if it was ditched.

 

It's nice seeing WMAR get some love from Scripps. It seems like they were the red headed step child of the group. I do wonder if this was planned before or after last years barricade situation.

 

I assume they upgraded their studio lighting and I truly hope they upgraded their cameras. Their previous combination resulted in extremely soft and flat images. When converted to high definition they used a prosumer type of ENG camera with a studio kit.

 

Here are some behind the scenes pictures courtesy of Wyatt Everhar's Facebook page.

 

11112325_10152987344433300_4924943649966576039_o.jpg

 

11146457_10152987345883300_9005753218864711844_o.jpg

 

From the looks of it it appears to be similar to the standard Scripps Devlin sets that have been launched within the past year but with more of a weather center.

 

I will record clips on my DVR but I may not post them tonight.

 

I thought the set was done by Park Place.
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Nice! Their "brick wall" set dated back to, what, 2000? Back when they were using the awesome-yet-underrated Counterpoint package. And will WJZ ever wake up and see their own graphics? It's been festerin, infected since 2008. I hope they get the O&O pack soon, and if not, I say we all drive down to MD and toss their CSD out on his butt. And then hoist his undies on the candelabra tower.

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WJZ needs the CBS mandate to the graphics, set, etc. They need the Boston, Philly, NYC, Miami look with the blue scheme. Their branding should be re-named WJZ CBS 13 Eyewitness News. I'm happy with WMAR getting an updated look, but all Scripps Stations are starting to look like Sinclair Station(cookie cutter) minus the ones that had previous owners before Sinclair.

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It looks like it was done without consideration of the graphics package... That'll make it easier to stay consistent and relevant when they switch graphics (whenever that is). I'm glad our set looks nothing like that and has no sign of any Scripps logos... In fact it's hard to tell Scripps is involved with it. That's a good thing. Park Place sets seem... Repetitive in design...

 

Why do they need a Scripps logo on any of their sets anyways?

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Finally! And it's a FANTASTIC update for them as well! Then again, after that old thing they used to have, anything was going to be better. I'm so happy for them, it's weird.

 

 

Looks much more similar to KSHB than KMGH. It still looks good.

 

Yeah, it's almost a carbon copy of KSHB except the weather center and digital center are flipped and they have different desks. Although the way they have the digital center set up kind of makes it look like they didn't have room to spread it out like KSHB's, so they crammed it in there.

 

I'm a huge fan of those printed graphics in the weather center. Also, are those duratrans on either side of the monitor array? Interesting that they went with printed graphics of their graphics rather than a skyline or something.

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"It's very exciting to bring an entirely new generation of forecasting technology to Maryland and the Baltimore region,” says Chief Meteorologist Wyatt Everhart. “The viewers of ABC2 will immediately notice the difference, not just in terms of the stunningly realistic visuals this system produces, but also the incredible power it gives each ABC2 meteorologist to have so much vital weather information right at their fingertips, displayable in a matter of seconds."

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WJZ needs the CBS mandate to the graphics, set, etc. They need the Boston, Philly, NYC, Miami look with the blue scheme. Their branding should be re-named WJZ CBS 13 Eyewitness News.

 

Well, for one thing, the CSD of WJZ has somewhat feared if the station does go through the "Ultimate Makeover" (Enforcer, graphics, set), he thinks they're going to lose their #1 status and drop down to #3 or worse, #4. But I may be wrong about it.
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I'm a huge fan of those printed graphics in the weather center. Also, are those duratrans on either side of the monitor array? Interesting that they went with printed graphics of their graphics rather than a skyline or something.

It appears to be a LED wall behind frosted glass.

 

Im not going to post videos because there really wasn't anything to show. It basically just a head on shot of the home base, the weather center and the In Focus area of the set. It's pretty much what you see is what you get. Also there appeared to be some technical gaffes such as poor camera shot blocking, monitors showing the wrong item - you know the first day stuff.

 

Also it appears they nixed their own radar. They still brand it as Maryland most powerful but only show three of the radar sweeps vs the five WBAL uses.

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Well, for one thing, the CSD of WJZ has somewhat feared if the station does go through the "Ultimate Makeover" (Enforcer, graphics, set), he thinks they're going to lose their #1 status and drop down to #3 or worse, #4. But I may be wrong about it.

The past few cycles they've been #2 in total viewers and only won the demo at I believe 6AM and 12pm. WBAL has been #1 total viewers in all their time slots and #2 in demo in all save for the 6AM and 12 noon.

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It appears to be a LED wall behind frosted glass.

 

This might be what you mean, but after seeing the time lapse on their facebook, it looks like it's a rear-projection screen since they had up moving graphics behind it. Certainly adds a level of versatility to the set.

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Well, for one thing, the CSD of WJZ has somewhat feared if the station does go through the "Ultimate Makeover" (Enforcer, graphics, set), he thinks they're going to lose their #1 status and drop down to #3 or worse, #4. But I may be wrong about it.

 

That doesn't mean they shouldn't at least try making some subtle changes that their audience would be okay with (a la WPVI). Granted, a new set and graphics are needed the most.

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Well, for one thing, the CSD of WJZ has somewhat feared if the station does go through the "Ultimate Makeover" (Enforcer, graphics, set), he thinks they're going to lose their #1 status and drop down to #3 or worse, #4. But I may be wrong about it.

 

Does KC Robertson really believe that? As time goes on you have to refresh the cosmetic look on the product. WOW!
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Does KC Robertson really believe that? As time goes on you have to refresh the cosmetic look on the product. WOW!

 

KTVU fell in line with what their new corporate owners told them to do and lost a major share of their morning news audience and struggle at 5 & 6pm.

 

This was a station that dominated the market with a 40% share of the audience just a year ago.

 

I hate to say it, sometimes the graphics and branding really can make a difference. That said, WJZ looks like garbage. Sure, don't go with the cookie cutter look of your peers but do something to refresh the tacky rainbow vomit you currently have.

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@morning traffic just hearing KTVU woes would that be because Cox love them to pieces, but Now FOX is a different beast compare to Cox? However that's interesting.

 

However everything you said about WJZ is a barrel of laughs this morning. It made my day, and when they got their big 1998 set update. It on YouTube, but didn't they state that it had been a long time coming since they had a new set back then. It seems WJZ is a very profitable station, but their on-air look has always been horrid.

 

For the Baltimore market it will still be a two way fight among WBAL & WJZ while WBFF & WMAR pick up the scraps. However in the early 1990s a different era. WMAR was beating WBAL and in the early 70s WBAL was top while WJZ was at the bottom and WMAR was in the middle. In today world anything can make and break these stations. However I love your take on WJZ's look LOL:)

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