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Saturday Today has an updated background in their Washington studio (N5). It debuted today. Their virtual background makes them look like they are on street level with a similar set up to studio 1A in NYC. It appears the NBC family of channels is investing a lot of money in virtual backgrounds (we see them on MSNBC Reports, several other MSNBC shows, and now on Saturday Today). Pics attached show the previous and new background.

These website rebrands don’t have to translate to TV though. It’s entirely possible that the “CBS News (Insert City)” branding on websites and streaming platforms are simply designed to generate traffic to the main CBS News website by integrating the local station sites into it. Heck, the station websites/social media accounts have been branded as “CBS (Insert City)” for years, and station logos were hardly present. Local branding has been deemphasized on the digital side for quite some time. I could be wrong, but if they were really going to dump the legacy local brands (a la CTV), you’d think they’d have done it by now.

I firmly believe the de-emphasis of the call signs and channel numbers is 100% intentional, and the "white box" on some of the websites is a temporary thing to tie a few of the stations with "legacy brands" to the new brands. Why? Because it doesn't matter if you're "CBS 2 WXXX" on the internet, which is where the audience these groups are going after is. People say "won't this confuse viewers?" while the same viewers are the ones who can't understand that KDKA-TV and KDKA 1020 are owned by two different companies. The viewers who might be "confused" are not the viewers the stations want. I predict that, sometime in the near future, these "legacy call sign" stations will simply brand themselves on-air like "CBS News Pittsburgh on KDKA 2" for a while before dropping the calls/channel number entirely.

If KDKA Radio's talk lineup and KDKA-FM's sports hot takes haven't made it clear KDKA-TV isn't a part of them anymore, I don't know what to tell that viewer; there are still misguided radio listeners who call in to yell at WISN-TV for whatever hot take was thrown out by Mark Belling on WISN radio, even though they haven't shared anything, much less weather forecasts, in 20 years besides a callsign. That's definitely a viewer you're glad 'will never watch your TV station again you (whatever insult they have)!'.

Anyone else reminded of this when they hear the theme? I like it but I'm reminded of this series every time I hear it.

Interesting read. Being in the market, I hear it, and especially the signature, as soon as I heard it, I heard a hint of Aerial (Which I am actually a fan of - lol). I definitely knew from that point it was a Stephen Arnold theme. But I also agree, it is kind of somber to me. I am interested to see what the future cuts would sound like.

Still looks way better than literally every single Gray package in this thread. WOIO is the only one even close and that was technically made pre-Gray even though it debuted after Gray bought them. Although I will say, even the current Meredith look isn't as good as this was, such a shame this got dropped after only 2 years

The CW essentially functions as a hybrid linear network/AVOD service. Putting a paywall on their content would be a mistake.

Maybe they should move all the opinionated shows to HLN. It'd be better than 19 hours a day of Forensic Files.

NEW: CNN is launching a block called ‘CNN Sunday’ this fall that will include longform shows, including Chris Wallace’s former CNN+ show. Licht also says their morning show will be “reimagined” this fall.

Newly renovated part of the PIX11 studio, which I believe is used by Dan Abrams for his NewsNation show, is now being used by PIX11 for traffic reports.

It looks...fine? I think it's decent for a refresh. Is their 7-10am a 3-anchor format now? I thought it was just Michaela? https://i.ibb.co/SyqhtpS/Screen-Shot-2022-05-10-at-8-01-44-AM.png https://i.ibb.co/Qk4vbpC/Screen-Shot-2022-05-10-at-8-01-51-AM.png https://i.ibb.co/pbXGm14/Screen-Shot-2022-05-10-at-8-01-58-AM.png https://i.ibb.co/k1DFZvL/Screen-Shot-2022-05-10-at-8-07-33-AM.png My only complaint would be this shot. I'm tired of seeing 2x2 monitor grids in sets and wish we didn't have them. This graphic isn't so bad, but it's hard to use these monitors and put pictures of people in them without looking like there's a target on their head. https://i.ibb.co/gzydbtb/Screen-Shot-2022-05-10-at-8-08-19-AM.png https://i.ibb.co/SQKT6RT/Screen-Shot-2022-05-10-at-8-09-10-AM.png

I wish networks industry wide could just take a stand and make all content hard factual news, so audiences have little option but to consume it. But I guess that won't happen so here we are...

Stephen Marks, the owner of WBKB, KXGN, WBUP and WBKP, passed away on May 11.