And where is the money coming from to staff and produce a soap, without it being a joke? These employees are already ABC News employees, with experience in this type of production. It's not happening.

Morning mainstay on NBC, Friday night fixture on ABC, and one of the most visible faces in the history of television, Hugh Downs has died. The legendary broadcaster passed away from natural causes at his home in Arizona. The 99 year old would've celebrated his 100th next Valentine's Day. https://www.today.com/news/hugh-downs-former-today-host-legendary-newsman-dead-99-t185831

I totally agree with these sentiments. This informational format (health, finance, people-doing-good fare. etc.) is so much more substantive than SS&K, and would serve as a more worthwhile 3rd hour to the mothership. Keep Strahan on the early hours, bring Sara back to The View, and let Keke go back to things...that aren't a talk show? Pair Amy and T.J., better-bridge the look with GMA, and boom, an instantly more respectable product that doesn't feel like a mind-numbing knock-off of every daytime ensemble talker to ever exist.

Except that's not what WTOL ultimately used. When the graphics debuted, they merely stripped down the old logo to fit the new look.

And interesting, those changes in the 10pm hour come as that latest newscast had what's likely its most competitive month ever, forging a tie for 2nd in the demo. Meanwhile, freelancers Eric Runge and Shannon Halligan have been brought on full-time. He'll report for Morning and Midday, while she formally replaces Amy Rutledge, doing Evening traffic. https://www.robertfeder.com/2020/06/29/joe-donlon-bows-hunt-new-top-anchor-wgn/

I can't say I've seen it on social media, and if they didn't mention it on-air, then where's the proof? It's not that I doubt it, but how do we know?

Going back 35 years, CBS has rarely disappointed in their ability to consistently cut fat and lower the bar. The CBSN Local experiment seemed like a potential bright spot, but here we are, and nobody's particularly surprised.

If you had any money on Ben getting the lead anchor spot, you'd be a little poorer. A job posting for an anchor position specifically refers to the "Evening and Late News." I guess that could also point to a weekend evening position, and Tahman has been pulling a lot of 5-7pm shifts, lately, but I doubt that's the case. https://nexstar.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/nexstar/job/IL-Chicago2501-W-Bradley-Place-WGN-TV/News-Anchor_REQ-4528

I thought that was the case, but couldn't recall for sure. My O&O's set has 4 chairs all around, so that's my most familiar version. That said, my thought about the video walls stands. The weather stand-up area isn't as versatile as the monitor array.

Seating them this way allows them to distance while maintaining a video wall behind each anchor. Pretty simple. Under the desk, like a foot pedal? The desktop one is probably easier to operate, and frankly, the handheld ones you suggest are more hideous, if you will. When anchors hold those, it's so obvious, and it looks like they're doing the weather or playing a video game. The model WCBS is using looked like a mousepad to me, at first glance.

CBS This Morning returned to the Broadcast Center this morning, too, so they must've gotten some kind of okay over the weekend.

Gold standard in terms of implementation of the theme(/graphics).

Is he "out" or retiring, because the former makes it sound like he was fired.

Do we really need a new thread for every rando that leaves the L.A. duopoly lately?

Yes, we already established this yesterday. If a tree falls in the forest...