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The Future of NBC Studios at 30 Rock?

MattParker said:
searadiofreak said:
I understand technology would allow for a major news operation to be operated out of just about anywhere. But, seriously, the prestige of being in New York is worth something don't you think? I would suggest that using technology to move your operation out of NYC would be a major mistake. CNN does have its headquarters in ATL, but they also do quite a bit of programming out of NYC.

Sorry, I don't think there is any prestige associated with being in New York except maybe on the part of broadcasters who want to get there. I don't think the audience cares and may not even be aware (that's why nobody noticed when NBC did their overnight show out of Charlotte). NBC, much more than the other networks, has traditionally made a big deal of their New York - specifically, Rockefeller Center - location. The open and close of Dateline scream "I'm in New York and you're not." The rest of the country does not have all that favorable a view of New York (and New York seems to view the rest of the country with some disdain, as illustrated in the classic New Yorker magazine cover). A lot of the distrust of the mainstream media seems wrapped up in distrust for New York. Paul Harvey understood that and made a point of staying in Chicago. Washington shares the same unfavorable attributes (public distrust and insular perspective) as New York. No, Philly wouldn't be much better. Even LA would be an improvement.

Keep SNL in New York. Even keep Today in New York. But put the executives, producers, editors and writers - the people who decide what's news and how to handle it - in the heartland (and put clauses in their contracts that they can't read The Times).

I can't agree. All three original network news operations still call NYC home. I think there is a valid reason for this. Sure, they could find other locations with lower rent, but the NYC "home" keeps them there. Even MSNBC moved back to Manhatten after trying out New Jersey for awhile. BTW, Fox News is also based in New York City. From your previous post, it sounds like you may be in their court.
 
MSNBC's operations were "consolidated" with NBC News as cost saving measure. That was the reason they moved to Manhattan (not back to Manhattan, they started in Secaucus).

The network news operations are in New York because they've always been in New York. The networks are based in New York because when the industry started it was where the big corporations were located, the big ad agencies were located and where the biggest pool of talent was available. When the news divisions started up, corporate located them in New York along with everything else. The entertainment divisions eventually relocated to LA and much of each news division is in DC. CNN remains headquartered in Atlanta with a New York bureau. NPR is based in DC and Culver City with a bureau in New York.
 
MattParker said:
MSNBC's operations were "consolidated" with NBC News as cost saving measure. That was the reason they moved to Manhattan (not back to Manhattan, they started in Secaucus).

The network news operations are in New York because they've always been in New York. The networks are based in New York because when the industry started it was where the big corporations were located, the big ad agencies were located and where the biggest pool of talent was available. When the news divisions started up, corporate located them in New York along with everything else. The entertainment divisions eventually relocated to LA and much of each news division is in DC. CNN remains headquartered in Atlanta with a New York bureau. NPR is based in DC and Culver City with a bureau in New York.

For the few who don't know, Culver City (kind of like Burbank) ain't much, but it's strategically located minutes away from Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and LA International Airport.

Historically, MGM studios were established in Culver City - Sony Pictures is still located there.
 
Speaking of beltways like DC's (and Baltimore's), NYC has a half-beltway of sorts. Runs from Edison, NJ west to Somerville, then north to Bernardsville, then ne to Suffern, NY, then east to Port Chester, NY on the Sound. It's called Interstate 287. :)

As for news operations moving to the heartland, IIRC, when ABC launched WNT in 1978(?), Frank Reynolds anchored his segments from Chicago (his hometown IIRC) (with Max Robinson anchoring from DC and Peter Jennings from London). So anchoring news from the heartland isn't a totally new concept. Now if a Bigger 3 net anchored nightly from *Springfield*, IL, well.... :-\

ixnay
 
ixnay said:
Speaking of beltways like DC's (and Baltimore's), NYC has a half-beltway of sorts. Runs from Edison, NJ west to Somerville, then north to Bernardsville, then ne to Suffern, NY, then east to Port Chester, NY on the Sound. It's called Interstate 287. :)

As for news operations moving to the heartland, IIRC, when ABC launched WNT in 1978(?), Frank Reynolds anchored his segments from Chicago (his hometown IIRC) (with Max Robinson anchoring from DC and Peter Jennings from London). So anchoring news from the heartland isn't a totally new concept. Now if a Bigger 3 net anchored nightly from *Springfield*, IL, well.... :-\

ixnay

Frank Reynolds was in Washington. Max Robinson was in Chicago. Nobody was in New York.
 
vchimpanzee said:
ixnay said:
vchimpanzee said:
MattParker said:
Charlotte, North Carolina.
We actually did have the headquarters for a major NBC News operation. I don't know whether that's still the case.

How major *was* that Charlotte operation, vchimp?

ixnay
It has been years. I don't really know how to judge. I just know there was a headquarters of sorts.



NBC News Channel.... they do the packaged pieces for affiliates. 'NBC News Nightside' was also done out of the same place:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Nightside
 
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