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WXIA packs up its set for the move

jal41

jal41

WXIA/WATL is now doing news off of a temporary set (still in HD) as they prepare to move to the old WATL site on Monroe Drive. I suspect after sinking so much money into HD news, they are taking the set with them.

They have what looks like a paper backdrop of the old set where you can see into the newsroom. There were no monitors flickering...thus the giveaway.
 
More likely a virtual set done with Chromakey. It does seem, though, that if they were going to do such a thing, that they would at least make a digital loop of the newsroom so it could be animated.

Later....
Matt Smith
WGSR-TV - I do that kind of thing every day
 
Nope, not virtual, actual matte backdrop. I caught a little of the 11pm broadcast in between commercials of SW Ep 4 on Spike.
 
The new digs are very nice. Yes, the set is the same. The biggest concern is the all eng/rcv equipment and the weather office computers. The weather stuff is going to be the real trick. There is no back up system. So it has to move between shows and then be up in some operating form by the next show. The engineers are not too sure if they can pull that off as they are not real comfortable with the weather systems. Steve Adamson is the only member of the weather staff that has a real in-depth understanding of the systems and in particular the radar. If you see a real limited weather product on WXIA for a period of time, you will know why.
 
I just thought of an idea that might help for the time that is needed to properly move the weather system to the newer channel 36 building. Could another Gannett station allow channel 11 use its weather system to make our Atlanta local forecasts for the time it takes to move it here and not have a crappy weather presentation. I mean go old Paul could go to another station or even the weather channel facility to do the weather for a period of time.
 
I have a question about the set (for anyone who is in-the-know). Since the set seemed to be built specifically for the current studio, what kind of adjustments can we expect to see once it is placed in the new facilities? Will the set still look out onto the newsroom or will the backdrop be replaced with a projection screen or duratran? Will the weather set move any closer to the main desk? I know the current studio is shaped a bit awkwardly...

Also, will WXIA be moved into the new facility before or after the Olympics?
 
the_widows_son said:
Is only the news operation relocating to the WATL facility?
Click to expand...

The sales and programming folks and everyone else is going along. However, a rumor brought up on the National TV board indicates the possibility of master control being outsourced. No details, but it would not be surprising given how MC operations from different markets can be combined at once central location with huge cost savings (Equity Broadcasting wrote the book on it). WUPA's MC is now in Norfolk, VA. NBC O&O's KNTV San Francisco (DMA #6) and KNSD San Diego are switched out of NBC's Burbank facility along with KNBC.

I would not be surprised if WXIA/WATL were switched at a Gannett facility alongside, for example, WMAZ Macon, WFMY Greensboro, WBIR Knoxville, WTSP Tampa, WTLV/WJXX Jacksonville, WLTX Columbia, and WUSA Washington. No issue for news...just push a button at the studio to override the distant MC for newscasts and breaking news. The satellite recievers and the tapes of syndicated shows would be at the remote facility.

I hope WXIA/WATL remains switched locally with an MC (and local well paid MC operators) at their One Monroe Place facility.
 
MC is getting moved. With Gannett's cost cutting mandate I would not be surprised that a central MC does happen at some point, but MC is being moved along with everyone else to the new place. Status quo for now, just in the new location.
 
jsb19 said:
MC is getting moved. With Gannett's cost cutting mandate I would not be surprised that a central MC does happen at some point, but MC is being moved along with everyone else to the new place. Status quo for now, just in the new location.
Click to expand...

You guys are behind! MC was the first to go. They've been operating both stations from the WATL facility since the middle of June. And, the entire building at 1611 West Peachtree has to be evacuated by the end of October, IIRC.

As far as centralcasting (as it's called) is concerned: Rumor has it they're eventually going to pick up operations for Gannett's Columbia, SC station. Other than that, haven't heard any more. And, although WUPA MC is operated by Norfolk, VA, there are a staff of four or five local MCOs, to ingest local content in the servers and for syndicated sports (coll. B-ball, etc). The problem with centralcasting is that it sounds good on paper to the bean-counters, but the elimination of staff and having to rely on one operator or two to monitor multiple stations, in addition to the new digital subchannels that will be popping up after they get a better grasp on the digital multichannel set up, will definitely cost them in the long run in quality, which will eventually eat all of their revenue since the viewers will go elsewhere. It's not just the availability of other media outlets, it's also the loss of quality that's pushing viewers away.
 
What will become of 1611 West Peachtree? Will it become a site for interstate view condos? Will the ghost of guy shape haunt the people who live there?
 
I've watched a blank screen for hours on EBC's "CentralCast" stations (via Galaxy-10R). Multiple channels down, and it's like no one even notices.
We did two channels here for a while....that was tough enough to keep straight.
 
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