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Orlando's WESH rolls out new graphics, music


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Wednesday evening, Orlando's WESH became the first Hearst station to adopt what TVNewsTalk.net is told is the station group's new standardized graphics and music package.

 

VCQDE.jpg

WESH-TV's new noon titlecard (Credit: WESH.com)

 

The new graphics, which replace Hearst's previous standardized graphics that have more or less stayed the same for nearly a decade (Designed in the early 2000's and refreshed for HD in the past few years), prominently feature geometric shapes like parallelograms and triangles, a drastic change from the previous graphics which was rather blocky and square. Another nice change is the addition of orange/yellow elements, which finally brings some color to Hearst stations where the old graphics largely used blue, blue, and more blue.

 

To accompany the new graphics, a new custom music package was commissioned which was "written, arranged and produced by a talented team of composers from across America" and was "recorded by a 70 piece ensemble of elite musicians in Prague".

 

WESH has posted 20 screenshots of the new graphics to their website, you can view them here.

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I looked over the slideshow seen in the link, and while I would have to see what it looks like in motion, I like the new look. Whenever KOCO implements this package (which would most likely be later than sooner), it would be a step up from what they have now, not necessarily saying their current graphics are bad, they're just OK. Also, its nice to see a standardized graphics package from a broadcast group other than the NBC Owned Television Stations use a font that isn't some form of Helvetica prominently in their graphics (although there is some form of Helvetica placed here and there, but in very small amounts). The italic font in the live bug, though, does make that area of the lower-thirds look a little awkwardly formatted.

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I agree with alaskanews that the "live" bug looks terrible, but overall it's very nice and classy. I'm also not sure what I think about the triangles and maybe the way the logo and time/temp boxes line up.

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Funny thing, this relaunch occured on the same day as WTVJ's relaunch.

 

This is a welcome change and great GFX overall. I've actually grown tired of the old elements and L3's, even if the graphics are (somewhat) different from station to station. The live bug could use some work, though.

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Watching WESH's live stream of their CW 10pm news on the site. Some initial impressions.

 

Graphically... do we know if this was done in house or if they collaborated with an out of house company? Because parts of this look Hothaus-y to me. But I also wouldn't be surprised if it was in-house... the hub is at WESH, right? Reason I'm asking is because if it was done in Orlando, someone took inspiration from Epcot's big golf ball. I like it, I think the triangle thing is a very, very interesting and fresh take, and it looks a hell of a lot better than what Hearst was using.

 

But enough about the graphics.... I really, really, really want to talk about that music.

 

For those wondering, the new Hearst music is completely different. COMPLETELY. DIFFERENT. I cannot emphasize this enough. The Gilmer signature is gone. It's replaced with a new four-note "sonic brand". And don't let the whole "70 piece ensemble of elite musicians" thing fool you. It is not what you're probably expecting. This theme, at least what WESH is using, is a rock theme. If I had to wager a guess, it sounds like inthegroove to me. Specifically, I'm getting a "Heart of the City" feel from the bumpers. I need to check out their 11pm news to get the best feel.

 

And then... there's the close. Oh. My. God. The. Close.

 

I have listened to more news music closes than I can count. I've heard ones with singing. I've heard ones composed by symphony orchestras. I've heard electronica ones. I've heard ones that I swear were done on Casio keyboards. I have never, ever, heard a close that I can easily describe as "80s hair band". Because seriously, that is what it sounds like. That or Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers cue music. There are screaming guitar solos where I think the guy doing it is making devil horns and swinging his long hair to and fro. It's heavier than anything I've ever heard in news music.

 

I'm wondering how it will go over with people here, because everyone slags the Gannett theme for its sound and that close is even more radical than that.

 

EDIT: And after posting this, I saw the 11pm close.

 

The 11pm close is not hair metal. The 11pm close is the exact opposite of that. The 11pm close sounds like the close to the CBS Evening News under Dan Rather. It is nothing like any of the other cuts I've heard on this newscast.

 

Man, this package...

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Okay; I hate to have to bring those dreaded ponies that are apparently driving more key demographic viewers to The Hub weekly (and I mean, as in mainstream main demographic), but this is probably the only graphical representation I could find of your reaction so far to everything that has happened today (this, and WTVJ's new set);

 

NOnYV.gif

 

"..it's gonna be SO AWESOME!!"

 

Yes, that actually looks very nice. The mosaic triangle theme they've got going there is pretty original, and it all looks very slick. Now, the $64,000 question; will there be color variants for other stations? I know; this is supposed to be more colorful (pun not intended), but what works well in Florida might not work well in, say, Boston.

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Guest 115,000 hioptiv

It's no coincidence that the geometric criss-crossing looks familiar. That's the Hearst Tower. The entire package is inspired by their (fairly) new building in NYC.

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Overall, the new look seems nice. Yes, I love the slanted gfx ... the LIVE bug needs re-done before WGAL ever gets their hands on this. I'm sure it will be tweaked before any other Hearst station gets it. Didn't hear the theme yet. If anyone can get a video of the open/close, that would be great.

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Yes, that actually looks very nice. The mosaic triangle theme they've got going there is pretty original, and it all looks very slick. Now, the $64,000 question; will there be color variants for other stations? I know; this is supposed to be more colorful (pun not intended), but what works well in Florida might not work well in, say, Boston.

 

That's what I'm wondering too. Specifically with WISN, I don't know how well the dark blue and yellow/orange elements will work. Their new set they just got last year features a lot of light blue; almost the entire set.

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That's what I'm wondering too. Specifically with WISN, I don't know how well the dark blue and yellow/orange elements will work. Their new set they just got last year features a lot of light blue; almost the entire set.

 

Duratrans aren't that hard to change. ;)

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Guest steve

is it sop at hearst to dispatch a handful of waterboys to plug whatever they happen to be doing right after hq sends breathless press releases everywhere?

 

...not that it's apparent here.

 

 

 

btw- the comments on this thread remind me of the band continuing to play while the hearsttanic takes on water.

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From the screen grabs from their website, the bug is different than online. I am just looked at WBAL TV's bugs on their YouTube site and their logo is different and just at the bottom right corner of the frame. Ive noticed this done with other Hearst stations.

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I hate to have to use this video as an example, but the graphics do change colors during breaking news.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tUMSTBE-28&feature=channel&list=UL

 

From the screen grabs from their website, the bug is different than online. I am just looked at WBAL TV's bugs on their YouTube site and their logo is different and just at the bottom right corner of the frame. Ive noticed this done with other Hearst stations.

 

Every Hearst station does it differently. WISN just takes the same video that aired on TV and posts it online, on air bug and all. Some do what WESH does and some do what WBAL does with the logo in the lower right. When WCVB posts videos online, they don't include any graphics (L3s, bugs, etc).

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Not to get off topic, but the bug thing can be explained like this: it depends where the web staff gets the video from.

 

If it's a package directly from an edit bay, it would likely have no CGs or a bug as those come through the control rooms.

If it's a feed from the production control room, it likely wouldn't have a bug as those usually come from master control.

If it has a bug, that could mean the recorded feed is either from master control (off air) as sometimes bugs can be inserted by the production control room.

 

Bugs and tickers usually come from master control and are overlayed on top of the production feed. The reason they are controlled by master and not production is because sometimes bugs and tickers run outside of news programming and the production control rooms are only staffed during shows whereas master control is usually staffed around the clock.

 

For those who have never set foot inside a TV station, there are usually two control rooms (if not more): master control, which switches between programming and commercials and the production control room which is where newscasts and other station programming originate from.

 

It looks like WESH's web staff adds a crystal bug to their web vids since they are getting a feed from their production control room and their newscast bug comes from master.

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