Monsters & Money Signs Off

[lazynetjunkie 34]

And THEY HAVE A NEW ANCHOR DESK THIS MORNING!!!!

 

 

It's not the same desk from before, it's an actual new large desk from the same guys that built the set. They have it positioned facing the same direction as the tiny desk was facing but since it's larger, it's further back in the main area of the set.. It also appears they got some new graphic panels for the set with a nice daytime skyline shot of the city plus a new skyline graphic for the plasmas on the set. There are also some new floor to ceiling panels covering some of the windows. It looks a whole lot better.. Definitely not a shoddy "Chicago Scenic" design job.

 

 

There is also a new plasma back in the spot that has been that "black hole".

[cbs2worksforyou 35]

IT LOOKS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

[former newsboy 50]

It looks better, but seems temporary. And are you sure that's a new desk? I think it came from before, but it was just rarely used. And I wouldn't call it large, just larger than the one they've been using. And Megan Glaros standing behind the desk looks proportionately odd. It's fine for Don since he's tall, but Megan's boobs sit right atop the counter, making her seem short, detracting from her hotness.

 

My take on all this is this set modification is a quick solution for Bill & Walter's debut tonight until the main area of the set is re-done, complete with the true large desk. I would antictipate a Sept. 13th completion date to coincide with the addition of Kate Sullivan. Thats my hope anyways

 

But let me say again that it does look better, i especially like that it looks like an actual news desk, and i also really like the skyline graphic (good colors), especially in the larger plasma to the right, covering the window - makes for a nice OTS or single anchor shot. I think the three little monitors in the main background look stupid though (always have), even tho like i said, i like the graphic that's on them now. I'd much prefer they just fill in that space with a large plasma (if they have one) or a large back-drop (if they have one).

 

But once more, I think this is temporary - kinda reminds me of when Ahern wrecked the "works for you" set back in 2002 and they had a short-lived temp set off to the side with mix/match devlin design pieces. I kinda liked that set too. Better than the blue wreck he made out of a brand new state-of-the art studio anyways.

 

And just to rub some salt on our wounds, i came across this old video of how the CBS 2 Broadcast Center premiered 2 years ago. The last coupla seconds with Vince tossing to Rob & Anne is my favorite part - a good shot of the old main area with the love it or hate it monitor wall, which at this point, i'm loving:

 

http://cbs2chicago.com/video/[email protected]

[lazynetjunkie 34]

Just got a text back from an old friend saying that the set isn't completed yet and the desk is indeed a modification of something they already had. The desk top is different. It's actually only about 2-3 feet shorter than the old large desk. What made the old large desk look larger was the large platform it was on. The current platform under this "new" desk was quickly constructed with wood and carpet and is temporary. However, he believes the new window covers are here to stay..

 

 

For those out of market, here are a couple videos:

 

http://cbs2chicago.com/video/[email protected] (Good front shot at end of video)

 

http://cbs2chicago.com/video/[email protected] (You can see a replacement plasma put back in the hole. The mounting strips for the lightbox graphic panels still remain on the frame.)

 

 

 

 

I wouldn't have minded that monitor wall so much if all the monitors were real. If WFLD can get all real monitors behind their frost glass wall on their set (which is larger than WBBM's former fake monitor wall), then WBBM could have gotten all real monitors back there. For a TV station, the price of that would have been next to nothing.

 

 

Well, when Ahern "wrecked" the works for you set, I understood what he wanted to do.. He wanted to clear the unnecessary clutter from CBS 2 News at the time and bring the station back to basics. It worked. It wasn't so much that he didn't like the design of the set, it was just a clean-up of the station. Their ratings did show clear improvement and growth for a time after the "Works For You" era. Really, at that time, having a large extravagant set filled with "fake stuff" like that wasn't a top market thing and that's how many (CBS exec-wise and station management/employees) saw it.. It was ahead of its time because many new sets now have much of the same features of that set, although not "fake". I'm sure if Ahern walked into that same Devlin Design Group set in 2008, he wouldn't have changed too much with it. Maybe just change the purples to blues..

 

I happened to be at the station the very first day he was in charge at WBBM back in 2002 (back when I was still in school and an intern for something I never continued onto. lol.. and pretty darn glad I didn't continue on with it.) I remember him walking into the news set for the first time by himself and just standing there looking around and shaking his head.. That same day, he ordered those globe glass panels dividing the weather center and the anchor area removed, every single "Works For You" slogan removed from the graphics, and all the promos pulled.

[cbs2worksforyou 35]

IT LOOKS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Okay, so I guess I was just excited that they brought back the large plasma and ditched the mini-bar desk. It does look better than before, but I hope/realize it's temporary because after seeing a 4-person shot of the set, it definitely looks a little awkward. I hope those window covers are temporary while the outside construction work continues, but hope they don't use them permanently. After all, it is a streetside studio. I like being able to drive or walk by and look inside while the news is going on, or even when the studio isn't being used.

[lazynetjunkie 34]

Okay, so I guess I was just excited that they brought back the large plasma and ditched the mini-bar desk. It does look better than before, but I hope/realize it's temporary because after seeing a 4-person shot of the set, it definitely looks a little awkward. I hope those window covers are temporary while the outside construction work continues, but hope they don't use them permanently. After all, it is a streetside studio. I like being able to drive or walk by and look inside while the news is going on, or even when the studio isn't being used.

 

 

You should still be able to see inside the studio.. The half of studio close to the intersection where you can get a clear view of the front of the desk and anchors is still unblocked. Plus the deal with the city is that has to remain an open window studio as an attraction to Daley Plaza. I just don't think they want to use the outside sidewalk as a backdrop anymore behind the anchors. The problem is that IT IS Daley Plaza across the street. The actual plaza/scenery is nice (especially around Christmas time) but you have all sorts of unhappy nutcases going to or coming from court. There's also the occasional streaker or idiot just to cause some ruckus out there that don't plan on standing outside the studio to watch a newscast. The location of CBS 2's studio is "convienient" for people that don't plan on behaving out there. I know they've had problems with people walking by and flipping the bird behind the anchors' heads. It isn't like WMAQ where people have to really go out of their way to see their studio. However, they went a year using the window as the backdrop on the morning news so who knows..

[cbs2worksforyou 35]

I'm fine with them not using the windows as a backdrop, but would still like to be able to see in. On both sides. Lol