Londoner

A lot, in most cases. Including the sets that everyone had when WNYW's current one made its debut, I make it... WABC: 2 WCBS: 3 (shortly to become 4) WNBC: 4 WPIX: 5 (including the short-lived virtual one)

The changes to the background shot are like deja vu - the Morning News has switched to the same mid-level skyline view that they abandoned 42nd Street for a few years ago. Back then they eventually settled on the really nice shot down Manhattan that they used up until they updated the studio. I wonder if they're avoiding that now because it's too similar to WNBC and WCBS. Still, I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth - the new skyline view is a vast improvement. Maybe they realised that KTLA looks so much better than they do.

I see that the live feed of 42nd Street has reared its ugly head again as the backdrop. I can't understand why they love that shot so much when there are so many better views of New York they could use. Every other station has a shot of the world-famous skyline while PIX has... a nondescript intersection. A very pedestrian backdrop - literally!

That's a million times better - and looks much more impressive on the new set than it did on the old screens. I can't for the life of me understand why they don't use that all the time.

Saw the 6pm newscast for the first time yesterday. I like it - very lively, and a good alternative to the established 6pm newscasts on the other stations. But still feels like a proper newscast, unlike WNYW's offering. I think they did well to create a set that's big enough for the background to work with the anchors standing by the screen or sitting at the desk. Much more versatile than any of the other New York stations.

Don't get me wrong - as backdrops go, it's a million times better than the view of 42nd Street. But the static image they've gone for seems a bit messy, and just looks like a generic cityscape. They could have at least picked one of the shots from the animated version with a good view of the Empire State Building.

Have they ditched the Top of the Rock camera again? Whenever I've watched recently, they've been using the Rockefeller Centre backdrop which, in my opinion, isn't anywhere near as good.