WNBC - News 4 New York

[SnellKrell 52]

From what I can see - What a yawn!

 

No life, no color, no imagination!!!!

 

Reminds me of my maiden aunt - Perfectly respectable, but not too exciting.

 

Wish that Val Staab had also thrown this one out!

 

UGH!

[Jman7885 37]

1 hour ago, IceManNYR said:

More of the studio from New York Live.

Looks like some similarities to the WVIT-NBC CT set, specifically the peacocks on the wall, the mix of some darker wood (used differently than WVIT). Overall it comes across as very small on-air, but an improvement over the previous set for sure.

[IceManNYR 222]

A few more from the 4pm and 5pm newscasts.

Edited November 1, 2023 by IceManNYR
Added photo

[MorningNews 1290]

I like the desk but I’m never going to stop complaining about how stupid the standing anchors look is.

[nynewsguy 66]

As I had mentioned - certainly Nothing groundbreaking or even much different than 3K. 
updated technology. Use of LED panels as opposed to duratrans screens, but basically still the same look in a smaller space 

[NYNewsCoverage 257]

I haven't seen it aside from the screngrabs, but space-wise it seems more similar to 3C than 3K. Throwing it out there, would it have made more sense to move to 3B as a temporary space and just update 3K? (so they would have more room)? I feel like that may have made more sense; but I suppose the small space is fine for their purposes to bring the news. Then again I forget they are sharing with WNJU so I guess 3K isn't large enough for that split. I also think the set works better for NYL than for News4.

 

So now I'd currently rank NY sets (as best to worst): WPIX, then WCBS, then WNYW, then WABC (what they were able to do for the 10AM is great), and still WNBC last. 

 

[Jman7885 37]

11 minutes ago, NYNewsCoverage said:

I haven't seen it aside from the screngrabs, but space-wise it seems more similar to 3C than 3K. Throwing it out there, would it have made more sense to move to 3B as a temporary space and just update 3K? (so they would have more room)? I feel like that may have made more sense; but I suppose the small space is fine for their purposes to bring the news. Then again I forget they are sharing with WNJU so I guess 3K isn't large enough for that split. I also think the set works better for NYL than for News4.

 

So now I'd currently rank NY sets (as best to worst): WPIX, then WCBS, then WNYW, then WABC (what they were able to do for the 10AM is great), and still WNBC last. 

 

Why do they need a bigger set to present the news? This set has atleast 4 separate areas - main desk w/ largest video wall, a large video wall (also used for weather) large monitor, corner monitor. In the rare occasion they need more space for a special show maybe they would use another studio within 30 rock? 
 

I will say I think the camera shots used for weather are awkward b/c they cut off part of the monitor - perhaps they can’t shoot straight on due to space constraints (if so, that’s a bummer)

[SnellKrell 52]

From what I've been able to research -

 

3K is 2,668 Sq. Ft.

 

3B (Total) is 4,060 Sq. Ft.

 

So, if Miss Gussow's math class did its job, half of 3B is about a 1/3 smaller than 3K.

 

 

[ATLNewsExpert 308]

4 hours ago, IceManNYR said:

A few more from the 4pm and 5pm newscasts.

What's the problem that I sense everyone is having? I had to look back at pictures of the last set and this looks different, even if using the same elements, and looks MILES better, is more professional and modern looking in my opinion and is a nice way to have optimize your space, no matter how big or small.

[NowBergen 485]

My one wish is that they would have used a curved screen for the corner set up like they have in both the Today and MSNBC 3A studios. 
 

The desk is an improvement (no longer see through) and can accommodate standing (which is fine) and seating which happens during TINY. 
 

it’s an effective use of space (yes smaller than 3K but larger than when they were in 3C).  Is it fancy - no.  Is it in the family of NBC sets -yes. And it is functional where the story is the focus , rather than the set or anchors. 

[IceManNYR 222]

Two wider camera shots of the studio and everyone at the desk during Today in New York.

[Kev0170 14]

7 hours ago, ATLNewsExpert said:

What's the problem that I sense everyone is having? I had to look back at pictures of the last set and this looks different, even if using the same elements, and looks MILES better, is more professional and modern looking in my opinion and is a nice way to have optimize your space, no matter how big or small.

I really don't see what the big bruhaha is either, I think it's sleek and clean - now is it as grand as WTVJ, WBTS or some of the larger sets? No but it gets the job done IMO

[DMA 134]

I think this is a really nice upgrade. Sure it's not super exciting, but I genuinely don't know what more people could possibly want from a news set. It's by no means a small set, the materials and overall design are much more cohesive and high quality than 3K.  It's absolutely a set worthy of DMA #1. 

I think back to the 2012 3C set, which despite its size looked amazing, and was way ahead of its time, launching a design thread that even persists into this current set, 11 years later. That set didn't get in the way of telling the news then, so I truly don't understand the present gripes about a lovely, expensive new set that is almost double the size of 3C. 

 

[B2r4a6n 102]

Full tour of the studio via NY Live instagram... 

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzHaPTSvMIQ/ 

[TheNewsTV 146]

Now all that’s left is for WNJU to inaugurate the new set, will it be this year?

[MediaZone4K 1509]

@DMA 3C was the best set they had since vacating 6B and I still don't understand why they went to 3K.

 

This new set is nothing remarkable, but it looks better than their last set, and it looks miles ahead of WABC. As for being DMA #1...none of the the NY O&Os, which are supposed to be flagships, look better than their station group peers. Just look at WTTG vs WNYW, or --NBC related---WNBC compared to WTVJ:

Edited November 2, 2023 by MediaZone4K

[netnewsguy 7]

15 hours ago, TheNewsTV said:

Now all that’s left is for WNJU to inaugurate the new set, will it be this year?

From what I gather, probably not this year. The WNJU set is already built, along with a new control room. I heard the plan was for WNBC to inaugurate their set first and WNJU later. 

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by netnewsguy

[rkolsen 1675]

15 hours ago, Fbmm1975 said:

 G  

Great catch!

Edited November 5, 2023 by rkolsen

[CraigViewer 50]

On 11/2/2023 at 1:46 AM, IceManNYR said:

Two wider camera shots of the studio and everyone at the desk during Today in New York.

The overhead tracking camera shots are reminiscent of what I have seen on NBC Bay Area's newscasts.

[sfomspphl 453]

It's an upgrade from before and the larger than life peacock feathers on the wall are a nice visual, but....the space feels too narrow, those 90 degree angles continue to make it feel boxed in like the back of a retail storefront.

 

WABC doesn't have much space, but they block their shots and angles so it all still feels 'big' in a way and makes the talent heroic - you rarely get a sense of the corners or ends of the studio during the newscast. 

 

Maybe stick to more close in shots and it's a great looking set. Leave some mystery for the viewer. 

 

Or maybe it's the tiny desk and lack of element between the desk and backdrop - if that were wider and further away the wide shots might have more breadth. 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by sfomspphl

[SnellKrell 52]

Let's not forget that the "from before (3K) " had been cut down and cut back due to Covid.

 

I agree the severe 90-degree angles are awful - corners should have been rounded.

 

I also don't like the gray used around the "4" on the anchor desk.

 

I continue to believe the flagship station of the NBC Television Network deserves

a more substantial and better-looking set!

[MediaZone4K 1509]

4 hours ago, SnellKrell said:

Let's not forget that the "from before (3K) " had been cut down and cut back due to Covid.

 

I agree the severe 90-degree angles are awful - corners should have been rounded.

 

I also don't like the gray used around the "4" on the anchor desk.

 

I continue to believe the flagship station of the NBC Television Network deserves

a more substantial and better-looking set!

Broken record but the flagship NYC stations keep getting the short end of the set design stick.

[mrschimpf 2051]

On 11/2/2023 at 6:15 PM, MediaZone4K said:

@DMAThis new set is nothing remarkable, but it looks better than their last set, and it looks miles ahead of WABC. As for being DMA #1...none of the the NY O&Os, which are supposed to be flagships, look better than their station group peers. Just look at WTTG vs WNYW, or --NBC related---WNBC compared to WTVJ:

Any other market these stations would've long ago moved to bigger quarters or a part of the market where parking isn't a nightmare (like WCAU keeping their base on City Line while being in a big Comcast Tech Center space). We're nearly getting to the century mark of 30 Rock and the CBS Broadcast Center is much older than that, and Fox abandoned a nice studio in Secaucus to keep the dreary Fox Television Center because they have to keep that Manhattan address no matter what. Only ABC is making any kind of move to Hudson Yards and you have everyone whining because there's 'so much history' and 'it's always been there' while they have to shoot around the network's schedule (and The View is on an old soap opera stage).

 

You'd hope someone would make a jump to Brooklyn or that NBC would even just call game and shift to Stamford. These executive egos needing to be Manhattan are just doing so to the demerit of how their stations are treated. A studio space for a local news operation in New York shouldn't be the same setup as a low-rent Sinclair station.

[Geoffrey 779]

I would say it's pretty important for a New York station to be based in Manhattan.

[MediaZone4K 1509]

19 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

Any other market these stations would've long ago moved to bigger quarters or a part of the market where parking isn't a nightmare (like WCAU keeping their base on City Line while being in a big Comcast Tech Center space). We're nearly getting to the century mark of 30 Rock and the CBS Broadcast Center is much older than that, and Fox abandoned a nice studio in Secaucus to keep the dreary Fox Television Center because they have to keep that Manhattan address no matter what. Only ABC is making any kind of move to Hudson Yards and you have everyone whining because there's 'so much history' and 'it's always been there' while they have to shoot around the network's schedule (and The View is on an old soap opera stage).

 

You'd hope someone would make a jump to Brooklyn or that NBC would even just call game and shift to Stamford. These executive egos needing to be Manhattan are just doing so to the demerit of how their stations are treated. A studio space for a local news operation in New York shouldn't be the same setup as a low-rent Sinclair station.

I see your point because in other big markets, like Miami, the stations are not located in the city proper.

 

However Stamford, Connecticut would be a tricky situation for a homebase when the majority of coverage in the New York market happens within the five boroughs.

 

In NBC's case, Rockefeller Center is too iconic and tied to network identity to give up. ABC (minus GMA Times Sq) and CBS headquarters are interchangeable and I'm sure the audience could care less. 

 

What I question is: do stations keep a bearu in Jersey or CT because of the large coverage area? If not, the city, specifically Manhattan is a central location in the tri-state area from which to send out crews etc. 

 

But to your point, there is no reason why the stations cannot have a homebase in Queens, Brooklyn, or maybe even the Bronx, perhaps Jersey near the city. (Staten Island no because of inaccesibility).

Edited November 11, 2023 by MediaZone4K