WXYZ to open glass studio in Chase building, facing Campus Martius

[LP_85]

Is it just me or does it it feel a little gimmicky? They haven't really said what it will be used for.
Is this their token Detroit "satellite" studio. A 24/7 LED rolling news banner with the thing empty 99% of the time? It just feels like their going to stick their reporter in the "news hut" to intro a story about Detroit and that's about it. It's small, but I realize advancements in technology have made this set up possible.

I know people are going jump my shit and say people always complain but I'm not going to praise the move, now if they or someone else decide to move their headquarters downtown, that's another story. Progress in perception at the very least. I'm not trying to sound like BSPAM...

No, you're pretty much right. Nice that they want to have a presence downtown, but this is basically a simple set with a camera that feeds back to their home base in Southfield.

And no, none of the TV stations are ever moving their whole operations to Campus Martius unless one of them decides to build a whole studio from the ground up. Keep in mind, all of these stations are in facilities custom built for broadcasting. There's a lot more to TV than an anchor desk and some cameras, and there's very specific technical and engineering needs that need to be met. They're not going to abandon something built specifically for broadcast operations to shoehorn everything into a corner of the Compuware building, for example.

[iheartthed]

Is it just me or does it it feel a little gimmicky? They haven't really said what it will be used for.
Is this their token Detroit "satellite" studio. A 24/7 LED rolling news banner with the thing empty 99% of the time? It just feels like their going to stick their reporter in the "news hut" to intro a story about Detroit and that's about it. It's small, but I realize advancements in technology have made this set up possible.

I know people are going jump my shit and say people always complain but I'm not going to praise the move, now if they or someone else decide to move their headquarters downtown, that's another story. Progress in perception at the very least. I'm not trying to sound like BSPAM...

Other cities [[besides New York) have downtown studios with windows on the street, so I'm not sure why you would feel this is gimmicky.

[Cliffy]

Other cities [[besides New York) have downtown studios with windows on the street, so I'm not sure why you would feel this is gimmicky.

Look up the definition of a gimmick.

[Dbest]

they're starting out by using it just for their noon one hour news segment... aka when the most people will be out in campus martius during lunch time..

at the very least it will maybe get some older folk in the suburbs who watch the news see some parts of detroit that isn't what they think in their minds is a wasteland.. it's progress.. i think we will see them expand and eventually do a few morning segments here and there from that studio eventually. step in the right direction.

Thanks for the clarification on that, I guess my assumption was wrong. This is a decent commitment.

[stasu1213]

I don't mind it even if it is gimmicky it is still a great idea.

[Pontiac6000]

They should have been there this morning: I got on the bus at 9:04 and didn't leave downtown till 10:15. Now THAT'S little New York!! The best space for a satellite studio would be a triangular 1st floor wraparound on the parcel that's to go up in the parking lot between 1st National and Compuware. Once the rehab of Capitol Park, and perhaps a redo of the Book? Bldg [[1246 Washington) takes place, there will be room for all the news feeds from downtown [[maybe WJR, and other morning shows, too.) I'll be able to retire in 10 years too remembering downtown like it was when I was 10 in 1974.

[313WX]

They should have been there this morning: I got on the bus at 9:04 and didn't leave downtown till 10:15. Now THAT'S little New York!! The best space for a satellite studio would be a triangular 1st floor wraparound on the parcel that's to go up in the parking lot between 1st National and Compuware. Once the rehab of Capitol Park, and perhaps a redo of the Book? Bldg [[1246 Washington) takes place, there will be room for all the news feeds from downtown [[maybe WJR, and other morning shows, too.) I'll be able to retire in 10 years too remembering downtown like it was when I was 10 in 1974.

WJR is in the Fisher Building [[they have an on-air call signal that announces this every hour), which is fine with me...

[TTime]

they're starting out by using it just for their noon one hour news segment... aka when the most people will be out in campus martius during lunch time..

at the very least it will maybe get some older folk in the suburbs who watch the news see some parts of detroit that isn't what they think in their minds is a wasteland.. it's progress.. i think we will see them expand and eventually do a few morning segments here and there from that studio eventually. step in the right direction.

So getting the old people who watch the news to see some activity in a block or two downtown is a step in the right direction? Maybe...maybe not. Detroit cheerleaders are so often misguided. Ignore the old people and the naysayers and keep fighting the good fight and in 10 or 20 years you might have a decent city worthy of all these stupid t shirt slogans. Until then enjoy your life and don't worry about old people in the burbs and the news.

[Danny]

Here is a cool announcement.

" This is ABC 7 Action News, Live in the Qube Glass Studio at Dan Gilbert Plaza."

[Danny]

Since the broadcast glass cube is open in Gilberttown Detroit, when there be security surrounding the area to protect the news anchor?

[stasu1213]

Anchor persons will be broadcasting the news while the viewers could see people ice skating at The Rink behind the anchor persons

[the rock]

I like the idea they are coming downtown, but their signal for listening to Tiger broadcasts at night sucks. AM Stations from Cleveland, Chicago, Boston and New York all come in clearer. Thank God for 97.1

[Lowell]

Anchor persons will be broadcasting the news while the viewers could see people ice skating at The Rink behind the anchor persons

That won't be visible at ground level location. The view of the park is blocked by teh Fountain Bistro building and trees. Which is why I wondered earlier in this thread why the ground floor of the 1st National wasn't used. It actually looks into the park, a large ground space is available and it's a Gilbertville property. I speculate Gilbert wanted it in the HQ building and it does have more walk-by interior space.

Still it is a tremendous PR coup for WXYZ. I kind of feel for WDIV who has to be saying. "Hey, remember us? The station that never abandoned the city?? The guys who stuck it out through the darkest days providing revenue and status for the city?"

[hybridy]

who's going to keep all the pan-handling vagrants at bay during the live shot?

[gumby]

About time, Channel 5 has had one of these in Downtown Flint for a few years now. Congrats on finally catching up to Flint. lol.

[corktownyuppie]

who's going to keep all the pan-handling vagrants at bay during the live shot?

Panhandlers at Campus Martius? When was the last time you were there? I dont think Ive seen panhandlers there since private security came in 4 years ago.

[animatedmartian]

There's still panhandlers around. They're less obvious about it these days though. The ones I've encountered were always asking for bus fare and usually would walk around going from one person to the next instead of sitting in one spot.

[PeachLaser]

Keep in mind, all of these stations are in facilities custom built for broadcasting. There's a lot more to TV than an anchor desk and some cameras, and there's very specific technical and engineering needs that need to be met. They're not going to abandon something built specifically for broadcast operations to shoehorn everything into a corner of the Compuware building, for example.

I have seen studios in Hollywood on side streets in surprisingly small buildings. Parked outside along the curbs are trailers packed with all the electronics and the control room. They punch a hole in the wall and feed the cables through the hole.

I think the dancing shows use these. If you look at the people in the stands around the dance floor you will notice that they are paintings on the wall and not real balconies. Big things can be done in little spaces with TV and movies.

[Mackinaw]

If you think panhandlers are a problem in Detroit, try visiting...any other city. Oy.

[Smirnoff]

Just drop a trailer down like they did in the '50's.....

[mtburb]

Just drop a trailer down like they did in the '50's.....

Or better yet, bring one of their satellite trucks to Campus Martius, park it there and leave the back doors open 24/7/365.

[Pontiac6000]

with the growth of the M-1 Rail, maybe the "second downtown" of the New Center will grow too. If the Motown Museum does its long awaited 'expansion' [[all the 8 houses)- it would signal the encompassing of the entire inner ring boulevard- now, only if we could get ALL of our hometown heroes to commit to being here too, and the commitment of movie studios, music videos, and music companies to the 'city' we could gather up 'all we've ever been' and blow the roof off of Hollywood's lemonade stand...

[hortonz]

Already been done before in Windsor. CTV used to have a glassed-in studio on the second floor of the old Palace building [now the Windsor Star building] at the corner of Ouellette and University.

[Inkadinkado]

About time, Channel 5 has had one of these in Downtown Flint for a few years now. Congrats on finally catching up to Flint. lol.

Been there for a few years, too. Once more the Motor City is a step behind the Vehicle City.

[LP_85]

I have seen studios in Hollywood on side streets in surprisingly small buildings. Parked outside along the curbs are trailers packed with all the electronics and the control room. They punch a hole in the wall and feed the cables through the hole.

I think the dancing shows use these. If you look at the people in the stands around the dance floor you will notice that they are paintings on the wall and not real balconies. Big things can be done in little spaces with TV and movies.

Of course big things can be done in little spaces. Remote production isn't anything new. But the examples you gave are all individual productions or shows. TV stations broadcast 24/7. And even those dancing shows, or American Idol, or Tigers games, are fed back to a master control room in a dedicated broadcast facility before going out on the airwaves.

And individual stations don't have the budget or the resources of the huge networks, so it just makes sense for them to keep things under one roof when possible. Sure, they do things like the Thanksgiving Parade or the Dream Cruise or this little glass cube, but it would be a logistical nightmare to do every newscast like that. Think of when Chrysler abandoned Highland Park to consolidate its operations in Auburn Hills - they wanted their managers, designers, and engineers working together in the same space. It's the same idea in broadcasting.