trev57 46 Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 WDJT posted this on their Facbook page tonight. Some exciting CBS 58 news! Walls are coming down in the former CBS 58 news room! Look for big changes to our "look" in the coming months! The post was accompanied by a video showing a wall being taken down in the gutted newsroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 They posted another video to their Instagram page of one of the reporters taking a sledgehammer to a wall. https://instagram.com/p/5NhYx9k90I/ what's interesting is the control room and studio are immediately off of the newsroom, and the posts about this say things like "Look for exciting changes to our studio in the coming months!" I wonder if they're building a newsroom set again? I recall one of the reasons they moved to the current set was because of how ugly and stale the newsroom was... Maybe a remodeled newsroom will lure them back out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 I wonder if they're building a newsroom set again? I recall one of the reasons they moved to the current set was because of how ugly and stale the newsroom was... Maybe a remodeled newsroom will lure them back out. Or are they building a new set where the newsroom was and relocating the newsroom? Either way, one thing is certain; they aren't holding back trying to secure 3rd place in Milwaukee. Update: They replied to a comment on Facebook and said "Our newsroom has moved into a different part of the building. We call it our "airplane newsroom"! And by big changes, we mean a whole new studio and all the bells and whistles that come with it! Exciting!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoadStar 363 Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Fascinating, The current set is not that old, although it's small and definitely not a good fit for the O&O graphics package they're using now. I wonder if they'll try and replicate an O&O style set? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTV1983 742 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Fascinating, The current set is not that old, although it's small and definitely not a good fit for the O&O graphics package they're using now. I wonder if they'll try and replicate an O&O style set? Depends on how much Weigel is willing to invest in their Milwaukee station to keep it competitive (compared to how Scripps, Hearst, and Tribune are investing in WTMJ, WISN, and WITI respectively). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrschimpf 2050 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Fascinating, The current set is not that old, although it's small and definitely not a good fit for the O&O graphics package they're using now. I wonder if they'll try and replicate an O&O style set? One of the issues with the 2012 set is that it has to also accommodate the Telemundo quad-cast if they moved back to the newsroom; the set was designed to have a minimum of branding so that it could be neutrally branded for CBS along with WMLW and Telemundo, which all became a lot easier with the build out of the dedicated set so they could get in their segments when the 9pm/10pm English shows are going without trampling on the newsroom. The newsroom has needed the remodel for a long time though; it's been 20 years since WDJT moved to the Allis-Chalmers complex and it shows. If you see the rare wide shot of the newsroom when the director didn't time it right, you could still see the 'so 90's' fat Futura italic 58 logo they started out with in neon teal, yellow and pink was still up on the wall 14 years after they abandoned it. The only upgrades have been of the 'time marches on' type, and outside of adding a transparent wall when the 2012 set was launched where the anchor desk to was in the newsroom to make it intimate, and thinner TV's to the 'competition wall', the upgrades have been seriously needed. Especially with their new push on their weather coverage with the end of 'just 10 minutes', they're definitely going hard at TMJ. They might also be utilizing space for their new local programming efforts like their local Sunday Morning; I don't know if they rent space for that show at some warehouse/outside house or how they shoot the tosses, but bringing that in-house would probably be easier on the budget. Speaking of Scripps though, WGBA in Green Bay needed a set upgrade (and enlarging) TEN YEARS ago when Journal bought them; they started only months after WDJT (even sharing their news music to start), and they're still nearly in the same setup they were since at least 2000, when the old ownership bizarrely walled off the newsroom to wall off the set, and Journal made it even worse and claustrophobic by adding a larger weather center and morning 'fireplace/chairs' set and dark red/blue images that just closed it in further. At least WDJT planned out plenty of space in the beginning and gained more; WGBA should have moved from their building rather than building on a General Steel-like warehouse for their news division with no expansion possibilities (I'm still shocked I don't hear traffic from the nearby highway on their shows) and calling it a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoadStar 363 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 The newsroom has needed the remodel for a long time though; it's been 20 years since WDJT moved to the Allis-Chalmers complex and it shows. If you see the rare wide shot of the newsroom when the director didn't time it right, you could still see the 'so 90's' fat Futura italic 58 logo they started out with in neon teal, yellow and pink was still up on the wall 14 years after they abandoned it. That's no worse than WITI. Even though they remodeled the newsroom not long ago, they ignored the lobby or arboretum or whatever in the center of their building right outside the newsroom doors. It still has a giant FOX O&O era graphic mural, including an obvious "MyFoxMilwaukee.com" logo that can still be seen when they shoot the occasional promo from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 That's no worse than WITI. Even though they remodeled the newsroom not long ago, they ignored the lobby or arboretum or whatever in the center of their building right outside the newsroom doors. It still has a giant FOX O&O era graphic mural, including an obvious "MyFoxMilwaukee.com" logo that can still be seen when they shoot the occasional promo from there. The local newsrooms have been time capsules for a while now... WDJT's had minimal changes since they built it, the closest they got was painting the one wall (which they later based their graphics package on). I mean, they still had gigantic CRT screens sitting on the desks in the background up until a handful of years ago. WISN's was recently updated, but prior to that it was stuck in the early 2000's with logos and designs inspired by that era's Hearst graphics package. WTMJ's newsroom has hardly been touched since it was built in the early 90's... They got new desks in it a few years ago, but there are still a bunch of random trim painted in 90's colors and patterns hung up around the place (not really visible on camera unless they pull back far enough... you can see it in the background here.) WITI put in new desks a couple of years back but didn't touch the assignment desk, which has housed those awful looping monitors behind the flash cam since the O&O era. WITI's weather office hasn't had much done to it since the late 90's either, and it ends up on air all the time! WDJT seems to be operating under the idea that if they play the part of a serious news operation (as opposed to the Amateur Hour they've been known for since they debut news) that the viewers will follow, and it seems to be working. Getting a nice, modern newsroom set could set them apart from the other stations in town and pull in more viewers. Perhaps it will inspire some of the other stations in town to start trying again. Maybe WISN will actually get a new set instead of paying FX Group to come in and glue new laminate over the old one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidwestTV 1173 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 It seems that sometimes remodeling your newsroom can be more important/necessary than getting a new studio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruejac 9 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I for one, would want to see more of an O&O type set/newsroom to go along with the O&O graphics and hopefully they will have nice, custom duratrans to go along with the current graphics. I gotta say, WDJT has improved a lot over the past few years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Not related to the newsroom, but they just posted a picture from Green Bay where they had crews for Brett Favre's hall of fame ceremony thing. Looks like they had to drive WBND's satellite truck up from South Bend for the event because they don't have their own... https://twitter.com/CBS58/status/622635739423969281 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 A little birdie told me to expect the new set around the time of the debut of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which is September 8th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrh1985 56 Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Is there a chance for new graphics trev57? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 Is there a chance for new graphics trev57? I didn't ask, but I would say highly doubtful considering they currently have the CBS O&O package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruejac 9 Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Hey trev57, do you know if they will change their newscast music to CBS Enforcer instead of Overture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 I reached out to WDJT's GM for official comment on the set, and he replied "Thank you for your note. At the present time we have no comment." Hey trev57, do you know if they will change their newscast music to CBS Enforcer instead of Overture? Again, just speculation, but I would say probably not. On a side note, I have noticed that since Drew Burgoyne took over as Chief Meteorologist, they have completely dropped the "First Alert" branding in favor of "CBS 58 Weather". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Seeing as they JUST re-wrapped their trucks with the O&O graphics within the past four weeks, I'd say the chances of them getting new graphics is slim to none. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruejac 9 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Whether they get new graphics or not, I am very excited to see this new studio, which will hopefully go along with the O&O graphics they are using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Sports anchor Kevin Holden tweeted a picture from their temporary newsroom. https://twitter.com/321cuekevin/status/633060523857289217/photo/1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruejac 9 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I was just watching the 5:00 show when I saw they were using the 4:00 set for the newscast. Maybe they will finally debut their new set soon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trev57 46 Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Still on the 4pm set (which is the main set from a different angle) at 10pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webovision 202 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 i heard thhey planned to use as much space as possible of the upper floor of their unit as the news room... that's where the studio is. clearing out a storage room on the first floor opened up a lot of space... this is where their sunday morning show has been shooting standups... i think the idea was to build a studio on the first floor and use the current studio space as part of the newsroom... they're probably moving the main part of the set down there. both production and master control are on the second floor too but those seem too complicated to move. i'm surprised no one has checked to see if they covered over the windows in the newsroom that open into the lobby of the office building they're in, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 They're still on the 4PM "set" BUT just a bit ago they used one of the standup locations elsewhere on the set. It looked to me like another part of the set (the interview area) was reflected in the bezel monitor. I kind of wonder if the monitor behind the main desk died and they're just avoiding showing it. EDIT: They just used the weather area too... Something is going on but it's hard to tell what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruejac 9 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I was watching the 9:00 news on " The M" as I'm typing this, and I also noticed that the CBS eye duratran was removed from the 4:00 set, so now the set looks even more bland than it was before. Hopefully when they reveal their new set, it will be something more of an O&O type look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoadStar 363 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I don't usually watch CBS 58, but I am watching the news on WMLW tonight. I don't know what set is what, but all I know is the sound is *very* echo-y. It sounds like they're filming in a gymnasium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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