Here’s what loyal reader B Mac has to say:
Well, friends tell me the master control/engineering part of the station is undergoing a major overhaul because they’re getting all-new equipment for HD. It might have started over a month ago… I haven’t heard if it’s actually finished. So, with all the moving, rewiring and whatnot I can see how they might have those problems. Still, it’s funny they blamed ABC.
I assume the production control will be the next to get a makeover if it hasn’t already. So, this “Lost” faux pas might not be the biggest goof we’ll see this year. I’ve been to the station; I can’t imagine where they would relocate the production control while the other one is gutted.
I have heard WLOS is changing their studio design around September for HD, so prepare for about 2 months of news from the “News Center.”
That’s interesting, B Mac. Thanks for the info. I noticed that Charu was live in the “satellite center” the other day, which is the first I’d seen of that. Just a bank of monitors, really.
2 Comments
With all due respect, you have no idea what you’re talking about. A full switch to an HD-friendly set involves more than just a coat of paint and a few flat screens. You’re looking at a full overhaul of every single element in the studio from lighting, to desks, to decorations, etc. Everything has to look good on camera, since the old school faux wood paneling will look obviously fake on the new cameras.
Not only that, but even the dimensions of the set itself will have to change to accomodate for the new shots in 16:9 (widescreen). Otherwise, what once looked okay in standard definition will suddenly have bits of other parts of the set creeping onto the screen that shouldn’t be there.
So yeah, the old set has to be torn down, all the superfluous crap that’s probably being stored in there will have to get moved, raw materials have to be brought in, construction has to start, new wiring has to be set if microphone placement gets drastically changed…the list goes on and on. Then, you’re looking at rehearsals for everyone to get acclimated to new equipment, makeup (let’s all hope they bring in a stylist for certain anchors’ sakes), shots, etc.
So yeah, two months is starting to look more appropriate. Of course, knowing how television in general usually works, it’ll probably be closer to three or four.
2 months to finish a set?
I highly doubt it. I’d guess that they’d just get it done over a weekend.
I mean, thats how there last set change went. When I first got here, they had a different set, and then one monday I caught the 5pm news and suddenly it was all new.
If it’s just an upgrade to get their set looking better for the big HD switch it shouldn’t take long, and besides changing the walls and maybe finally giving their weather center some flat screens, there is only so much you can do.