Early-morning television

Dave Garroway, who used to be a radio disc jockey on WMAQ-AM in Chicago, moved to the nascent television industry with his eponymous program called Garroway at Large in 1949.

Garroway at Large notably revolutionized television presentation under Dave Garroway.

Saturday is the usual day on which Garroway at Large, which Dave Garroway hosted, was seen on the NBC television network (and later, on Sundays and Fridays).

When regular commercial television operations began in New York, many programs have incorporated theatrical proscenium concepts, separating the stage from the audience area.

After WWII, some programs came from Chicago, where Dave Garroway was a DJ on WMAQ-AM.

For his own Garroway at Large television program, Dave Garroway defied television's early theatrical conventions for a more casual approach in which the reality of the studio was acknowledged.

Using one camera, Dave Garroway walked around large studios and simple abstract sets as he directly talked to guests and television viewers for Garroway at Large.

Having originated from Chicago, Dave Garroway's eponymous Garroway at Large television program pioneered an informal presentation style, which was at odds with New York-centric programs.

The Chicago Style (used in Dave Garroway's eponymous Garroway at Large program) was developed further through his other innovative program called Today (NBC).

During its initial years, Today (NBC) emanated from the RCA Exhibition Hall.

In the first studio used for Today (NBC) from the RCA Exhibition Hall was an ultramodern open-plan working area with teletypes, wall clocks and workstations all visible (and audible) on the air.

The official name of this working area included in this first studio ever used for Today (NBC) from the RCA Exhibition Hall was the World Communications Centre.

Many people all around the United States described this open-plan working area in the first studio ever utilized for Today (NBC) from the RCA Exhibition Hall as television's command centre.

Plus, this open-plan working area in the first studio ever used for NBC's Today program from the RCA Exhibition Hall was described by Dave Garroway as "the nerve centre of the world."

For the open newsroom included in the first ever studio being utilized for Today (NBC) from the RCA Exhibition Hall, it bridged the gap between backstage and on-stage.

Based at Rockefeller Plaza and West 49th Street in New York's Midtown Manhattan portion, the RCA Exhibition Hall was down the block from the current studio used for Today (NBC).

Over the years, this working area in the first studio for NBC's Today program emanating from the RCA Exhibition Hall has become working newsrooms, though not as immersive as its original space.

Instead, working television newsrooms are usually placed directly behind the news anchor desk, with a physical or a imaginary divider between the studio and newsroom area.

Layouts for working television newsrooms include glass separating them from the broadcast area.

However, designs placing news anchors in the middle of the newsroom have been used by numerous programs over the years - in varying degrees.

In addition, numerous other news studios include smaller, scaled down work areas seen on camera.

TV stations also feature camera positions placed inside newsrooms named flash cams; they are used for live reports/updates, as well as prerecorded teases and promos.

Newsrooms are used by television stations as temporary news sets, because enclosed and isolated news studios are being renovated or updated with a new set or equipment.

A similar idea is also often used for working weather centres in modern television studio sets.

When NBC's Today program started in the 1950's, weather centres did not utilize chroma key, since it requires, by definition, colour cameras.

Upon its debut in early-1950's, NBC's Today program utilized panels, with printed maps, handwritten notations and movable cutout pieces to symbolize weather conditions.

On many local news studio sets, the weather team works in the studio from built-in workstations and video panels, while usually starting/ending their weather reports from in front of a working area.

Many weather centres use a desk or pod allowing weather forecasters to appear on screen, facing the camera, while also viewing computer monitors and manipulating graphics/maps in realtime.

Street-level and windowed studios, meanwhile, are still used from now on.

Technically, all Big Three networks have their morning newscasts from street-level studio sets.

Local US television stations also have street-level and windowed studios, though they often serve as secondary sets or double as a satellite operation for the station's main newsroom.

In many ways, however, street-side studios are public showcases for local television stations.

Many of these street-level and windowed studios feature sets, built inside of a traditional windowless studio and having looked much indifferent for all intents and purposes.

Besides, modern and efficient news tickers seen on television were not launched until 1993, nor fully popularized until September 2001.

The news ticker being used when Today (NBC) began was an actual piece of paper with typewritten headlines superimposed on the lower third of the screen.

In the mid-1990's or after 1993, Today moved to a street-level location at Rockefeller Plaza, which is known as the Window on the World or Studio 1A, recalling the program's early-1950's origins.

Garroway at Large, which Dave Garroway hosted, was one of the notable programs hailing from the innovative Chicago School of Television.

Ernie Kovacs presented a program on WPTZ called Three to Get Ready, which began in 1950.

Three to Get Ready, which aired in the early mornings with a format mixing news, weather, music and humour, was Ernie Kovacs' innovative television project.

In addition, Ernie Kovacs' Three to Get Ready program, produced specifically for WPTZ, was the first television program to be aired in the early mornings in a major US market.

Some notable innovations for Ernie Kovacs' Three to Get Ready program on WPTZ included his zany manner with comedy sketches, impromptu gags and audience participation.

Fran Allison and Studs Terkel are some namesakes of the other innovative programs coming from the Chicago School of Television: Kukla, Fran and Ollie and Studs' Place.

During its first 48 years, Today (NBC) lasted two hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Eastern Time.

After 48 years, Today (NBC) began having an additional hour, ending at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.

Seven years after its extension to an additional hour, Today (NBC) also extended to another additional hour, ending at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.

J. Fred Muggs, a chimpanzee, is a mascot for Today (NBC) from 1953 to 1957.

Although his tenure as a mascot of NBC's Today program was short-lived, J. Fred Muggs was deemed popular amongst its viewers, especially children.

Having revived the initially struggling ratings (and poor viewership) of NBC's Today program, J. Fred Muggs was often paired with Lee Meriwether.

In spite of his on-air success on Today (NBC), J. Fred Muggs also endured his difficult and sometimes aggressive approach.

Sylvester "Pat" Weaver, whose daughter is iconic and world-famous actress Sigourney Weaver, created Today (NBC), which Dave Garroway hosted in its first 9 years.

Wide Wide World, which Dave Garroway hosted and Pat Weaver conceived, took events from various locations to the homes of viewers, pioneering live television outside studios and network specials.

For Wide Wide World (NBC), it served as the inspiration for ABC's Wide World of Sports.

Prior to ABC's Wide World of Sports, ABC had already aired sports, including college football, which Roone Arledge co-produced, plus the NFL, the AFL and Major League Baseball.

Ideas for ABC's sports programs besides autumn sports were conceptualized by Roone Arledge.

ABC developed its own response to Wide Wide World (NBC), which Dave Garroway hosted, but this time, focusing on sports, which Roone Arledge was tapped to produce.

Jim McKay, who came from CBS, was tapped to become the iconic and famous host for ABC's Wide World of Sports, lasting from 1961 to 1997.

Many currently-standard techniques for which ABC's Wide World of Sports served as a testing ground include camera techniques, instant replay, slow-motion, aerial footage, etc.

These techniques for ABC's Wide World of Sports elevated sports television to a cinematic level.

For ABC's Wide World of Sports, it is well-known for its iconic mantra: "The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat; the human drama of athletic competition."

NFL Monday Night Football used the same techniques popularized by ABC's Wide World of Sports.

Both ABC's Wide World of Sports and Monday Night Football were the catalysts for other networks to adapt.

Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell and Don Meredith formed the iconic and famous three-person Monday Night Football announcing team, elevating this live sports program into a cultural phenomenon.

With Frank Gifford being Monday Night Football's steady play-by-play man, Howard Cosell used his theatrical and verbose style and Don Meredith was the laid-back, humorous country boy.

Keith Jackson was the play-by-play man in Monday Night Football's first season.

During Don Meredith's interval break from the Monday Night Football announcing team, Alex Karras replaced him.

Al Michaels joined the Monday Night Football broadcast team as play-by-play announcer in 1986, with Frank Gifford doing colour commentary, joined by Dan Dierdorf a year later.

The team of Al Michaels, Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf formed the longest-running team on Monday Night Football on a continuing basis.

Some of the noted personnel working with Roone Arledge include Don Ohlmeyer, Dick Ebersol, Chet Forte, Dennis Lewin, Chuck Howard, Edgar Scherick, Chet Simmons and Bob Goodrich.

Roone Arledge, who led ABC Sports from the late-1960's to 1986, also became the president of ABC News in 1977, surprising many as he had no formal journalistic experience.

Before Roone Arledge, ABC News was not competitive and suffered an failing situation.

Under Roone Arledge, who built on his success in sports, including ABC's Wide World of Sports and Monday Night Football, ABC News made both its turnaround and its facelift.

Due to Roone Arledge's sports-rooted influence that turned its failing fortunes around, ABC News took network television news (look/feel) to a modern, cinematic and visually-engaging level.

Plus, under Roone Arledge, ABC News focused on journalists being known as star celebrities, but also bridged the gap between news and entertainment.

The Morning Exchange is a former locally-produced morning program for WEWS.

Created in 1972 by Donald L. Perris and William F. Baker for WEWS, The Morning Exchange is a pioneer in the early-morning television landscape.

Some innovations for The Morning Exchange on WEWS include a living room-styled studio set and news and weather updates at the top and bottom of the hour.

During its first 26 years, The Morning Exchange on WEWS lasted two hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Upon its launch in January 1972, WEWS' The Morning Exchange used a news desk set, but in August 1972, it was replaced by a set resembling a living room.

Alan Douglas is the first ever host of The Morning Exchange, which, under him, was called The Alan Douglas Morning Exchange, on WEWS.

Joel Rose was also on The Morning Exchange on WEWS from 1972 to 1984, and again from 1986 to 1990; in his first stint, he served as the news anchor.

Liz Richards replaced Don Webster as co-host of The Morning Exchange on WEWS in March 1972.

July 1972 was when Alan Douglas left WEWS' The Morning Exchange, and Fred Griffith assumed his place.

WCVB-TV, meanwhile, is a pioneer in early-morning television as well through its locally-produced morning program called Good Day!

Having begun its run on September 24, 1973 as Good Morning!, and utilizing a similar format to The Morning Exchange on WEWS, WCVB's Good Day! used a living room with a kitchen.

For WCVB's Good Day!, it focused more on arts and entertainment than news and weather.

Good Day! on WCVB also broke ground by taking its production on the road and broadcasting from different places outside Boston and around the world.

In addition, WBRC-TV is likewise a pioneer in early-morning television through its locally-produced morning program called The Morning Show.

From its 1957 inception to its 1989 end, Tom York hosted The Morning Show on WBRC-TV.

The Morning Show on WBRC-TV is Birmingham's former answer to Today (NBC).

AM Los Angeles is KABC-TV's former locally-produced morning program.

Ralph Story and Stephanie Edwards hosted AM Los Angeles on KABC-TV, which was the basis for its national version called AM America.

Having been ABC's first ever early-morning program on a national level, AM America failed to find an audience against Today (NBC) and the combo of the CBS Morning News and Captain Kangaroo.

Plus, AM America on ABC earned harsh reviews from critics who saw it as a news-heavy program.

Some ABC stations opted not to carry AM America, including WEWS (The Morning Exchange) and WBRC-TV (The Morning Show).

The Morning Exchange on WEWS, Good Day! on WCVB and The Morning Show on WBRC serve as models for Good Morning America on ABC.

In fact, when GMA began in 1975, WCVB station manager Bob Bennett accused ABC entertainment president Fred Silverman of stealing the Good Morning! title being used by WCVB-TV.

With GMA's 1975 debut, WCVB's morning program became Good Day! to avoid confusion.

Having blended the concepts of both WEWS' The Morning Exchange and WCVB's Good Day!, Good Morning America successfully broke the long-standing dominance held by Today (NBC).

The AM format is still utilized by ABC, most notably in Chicago, where Oprah Winfrey took her own program on a national level as the Oprah Winfrey Show.

From 1986 to the early-2010's, the Oprah Winfrey Show has influenced many future young stars, and many of its themes are pivotal in American pop culture.

Newsrooms, as regular studio backdrops, convey urgency, immediacy, authenticity and transparency.

Plus, regularly-used newsroom studio set backdrops could provide a busy and fast-paced working news environment, where news is breaking and being processed, with off-camera staff seen inside.

Multi-monitor control rooms, which are regularly used as news studio backdrops, convey technological sophistication and a sense of constant monitoring and control over information flow.

For years, many television stations have used traditional, enclosed and isolated news studio sets with backdrops that typically include world maps, skylines or news/station logos.

These traditional and isolated news sets create a sense of formality and authority.

Switching to both the newsroom and multi-monitor backdrops from isolated news studio sets provide urgency, immediacy, transparency and a behind-the-scenes feel.

Blending the newsroom and multi-monitor backdrops is something to do in an equally-dynamic way.

For Dave Garroway, his own television programs, notably Garroway at Large, Today and Wide Wide World, have developed many innovations that reshaped television.

The Merchandise Mart and the RCA Exhibition Hall are building relics.

Chicago's wholesome goods industry is the primary focus of the Merchandise Mart, whereas RCA's technology is the primary focus of the RCA Exhibition Hall, based in New York.

With television gaining early popularity, both the Merchandise Mart and the RCA Exhibition Hall also became testing grounds for Dave Garroway's innovations that abandoned television's rigid past.

Dave Garroway's relaxed style, which had its roots in radio, was adapted for television.

Plus, the first studio for Today (NBC) from the RCA Exhibition Hall served as an influence on modern broadcast design, like the newsroom and the windowed concept in downtown cores.

In its initial years, the windowed concept included in the first ever studio for Today (NBC) under Dave Garroway was the fishbowl.

Just before its expansion to a half-hour in the mid-1960's, both Douglas Edwards and Walter Cronkite delivered the news on CBS Television, using an isolated and enclosed soundstage.

However, the expansion to a half-hour for CBS' flagship television newscast came in the mid-1960's.

This half-hour expansion of the flagship televison newscast on CBS in the mid-1960's resulted in the change of its name to the CBS Evening News.

During the Walter Cronkite era, the studio set used by the CBS Evening News featured a desk that was being made in the form of a fishbowl, plus the newsroom and a world map.

WBBM-TV pioneered the concept to present the news regularly from the newsroom in 1973.

McClurg Court, a rink, became a television studio in the mid-1950's, but also a testing ground for the regular newsroom-as-set trend that WBBM-TV had pioneered in 1973 until the early-1990's.

Fred Harpman designed the NewsCentre for NBC in the form of a space-age control room, specifically the bridge of the USS Enterprise, which is used in Star Trek, in 1974.

Banks of monitors that were visible behind the anchors for the NewsCentre, designed for NBC by Fred Harpman, create a sense of being in the middle of a working, technological hub.

As one of the designs by Fred Harpman, NBC's NewsCentre, made à la space-age control room, used a more open, high-tech and futuristic look and was made to have a working newsroom feel.

NBC's NewsCentre, which Fred Harpman designed, revolutionized television news set design, moving away from traditional, isolated and enclosed news sets with the anchor desk behind the curtain.

For Fred Harpman, his NewsCentre for NBC paralleled the open area used in the first studio for Today (NBC) under Dave Garroway.

Dave Garroway was a radio disc jockey and television personality in Chicago, where he pioneered the Chicago Style for his Garroway at Large program, brought to New York through Today (NBC).

Also in Chicago, WBBM-TV pioneered the regular newsroom-as-set trend, based on the working area being used in the first studio for Today (NBC) under Dave Garroway, in 1973.

Studio 6B at 30 Rockefeller Plaza was a testing ground for Fred Harpman's NewsCentre for NBC.

In 1974, Studio 6B at 30 Rock was used for WNBC-TV's NewsCentre 4, but also for the national NBC News broadcasts during the height of the Watergate scandal.

Ever since its 1974 inception, elements of the NewsCentre, designed for NBC by Fred Harpman, have usually been used in the US, but also around the world.

Global, which began its operations in January 1974 as a regional network, with CIII-TV as its flagship station, broke from tradition by using the newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Canada.

Upon its launch in January 1974, Global used a news studio using elements of the Walter Cronkite-era studio set of the CBS Evening News, including a fishbowl-like desk and a world map backdrop.

81 Barber Greene Road, a factory, became a television studio in 1974, but also a testing ground for the newsroom studio combo for Global, which lasted until 1998.

Also in Canada, BCTV (CHAN-TV) used the newsroom-as-set trend being synonymous with the Tony Parsons era from 1975 to October 4, 2010.

Enterprise Street, which is located in the Lake City Industrial Park, housed a purpose-built building for BCTV, and served as a testing ground for its own innovative newsroom-as-set trend.

Some of the local television stations based in North America often converted existing studio spaces into testing grounds for newsroom-as-set trends, but BCTV built one from scratch.

BCTV's Enterprise Street studios, built from scratch in 1961 and officially opened in 1962, also built its newsroom-as-set trend from scratch in 1975, 13 years after its official 1962 move.

Whereas stations with converted studios as testing grounds for newsroom-as-set trends represented the past, like WBBM-TV and Global (CIII-TV), BCTV's purpose-built one represented the future.

Early adopters of this newsroom-as-set trend, like WBBM-TV and Global (CIII-TV), usually retrofitted older studio spaces.

Those conversions by WBBM-TV and Global (CIII-TV) required squeezing newsrooms into spaces not designed originally for cameras, leading to cramped, noisy or compromise-filled enviroments.

CBS was a model for the newsroom-as-set ttrend by both WBBM-TV and Global (CIII-TV), the latter using the set derivative of the CBS Evening News fishbowl that Walter Cronkite used. 

Purpose-built adopters of the newsroom-as-set trend, such as BCTV, allowed designers to integrate the studio and newsroom from the ground up.

BCTV's specially-made newsroom-as-set trend offered better and more open-concept visuals, improved lighting, superior acoustics and a smoother flow between on-air personnel and journalists.

The newsroom-as-set trend, specially-designed for BCTV (CHAN-TV), made the news studio look less conventional and more like a high-functioning, authentic and professional newsroom.

Cameron Bell, who was formerly the news director for BCTV, was the genius behind the creation of its purpose-built newsroom-as-set trend being synonymous with the Tony Parsons era.

Ray Peters led BCTV through Cameron Bell's creation of its newsroom-as-set trend being synonymous with the Tony Parsons era.

Having been a purpose-built concept, this BCTV newsroom-as-set trend being synonymous with Tony Parsons was unique, as it mixed the newsroom backdrop with multi-monitor control rooms.

For BCTV's purpose-built newsroom set, it felt like a room with desks, but also the nerve centre of the entire British Columbia, indeed BC's command centre.

During the Expo 86 world's fair, BCTV operated a broadcast pavilion.

As the fishbowl version of its own newsroom set, the BCTV pavilion at Expo 86 allowed the public to watch a live newsroom and control room in action through glass.

BCTV's pavilion at Expo 86 further emphasized this newsroom-as-set trend.

For the first years when Tony Parsons was its main news anchor, BCTV used an isolated and enclosed studio set with a blue backdrop, but most of this was concentrated on the newsroom-as-set trend.

In the early-1990's, the BCTV newsroom-as-set trend that Cameron Bell masterminded was rebuilt by moving the news desk out of the studio, but it kept the newsroom as its main backdrop.

Since its longstanding owner WIC was purchased by Canwest Global, BCTV (CHAN-TV) remade this newsroom-as-set trend twice, firstly in September 2001.

While WBBM-TV and Global (CIII-TV) pioneered newsroom-as-set trends in both the US and Canada from converted spaces, BCTV (CHAN-TV) perfected it with its purpose-built one.

Before Roone Arledge turned around the ailing ABC News, both NBC and CBS have maintained more traditional formats in their news presentation, while not entirely plain.

Under Roone Arledge, ABC News put newsroom-as-set trends on the network news map.

During its first 30 years/3 decades, Cable News Network (CNN) had used the newsroom as its primary studio backdrop from its two primary headquarters in Atlanta.

Just before CNN's June 1980 debut, co-founders Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld were trying to find a model for the newsroom-as-set trend.

BCTV (CHAN-TV), which used its newsroom-as-set trend at its purpose-built studios during the Tony Parsons era, was the closest model to the vision of CNN's Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld.

Cameron Bell, supported by Ray Peters, masterminded the creation of the newsroom-as-set trend being purpose-built for BCTV during the Tony Parsons era, which was the basis for CNN's.

Using the Tony Parsons-era BCTV (CHAN-TV) newsroom-as-set trend for CNN, Turner Broadcasting System took over a country club at Techwood Drive in Atlanta called the Progressive Club.

Established in 1913, the Progressive Club is a red brick structure with white columns; its ballroom was renovated to become the first set for CNN, doubling as television's first newsroom to go 24 hours.

Carl "Bunky" Helfrich, who was one of the friends of Ted Turner, adapted many of the elements being used in the Tony Parsons-era BCTV (CHAN-TV) newsroom-as-set trend for CNN.

The Three Musketeers, a group of broadcast technicians coming to SuperStation WTBS from the other Atlanta television stations, were named after the French adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas

For the Three Musketeers group working at SuperStation WTBS, Gene Wright, Jack Ormand and Jack Verner served as their members.

Whilst the Three Musketeers from WTBS built the technical infrastructure for the newsroom-as-set for CNN, Carl "Bunky" Helfrich adapted BCTV's elements under Reese Schonfeld's direction.

Playfully referred to as Kosher Kolumns or the "news kibbutz," the Progressive Club was CNN's first headquarters.

By 1985, years after its June 1, 1980 launch, CNN had outgrown its original Techwood Drive hub, and Ted Turner acquired the Omni International complex in downtown Atlanta from Tom Cousins.

With Ted Turner acquiring this Omni complex, CNN incorporated its BCTV-inspired newsroom-as-set aesthetic on a larger scale.

Seven years after its June 1, 1980 launch, CNN officially completed its relocation to the former Omni complex, which became known as CNN Centre.

Mirroring his earlier feat of turning the Atlanta country club into the BCTV-inspired newsroom-as-set trend for CNN, Carl "Bunky" Helfrich turned the former Omni complex into CNN Centre.

By turning the Omni complex into CNN Centre, Ted Turner revived Atlanta's ailing downtown core.

In 1993, the colours of some of the elements being used in CNN's newsroom set based on BCTV were changed from red to blue.

Just 11 years after its official move to the former Omni complex, CNN renovated its own set in October 1998, still incorporating its BCTV-inspired newsroom-as-set trend.

Rene Lagler supervised the scenic design for this renovated CNN newsroom-as-set trend, whilst Robert Dickinson did its lighting construction.

This October 1998 renovation of CNN's BCTV-inspired newsroom set design was the final pre-digital revolution of its aesthetic before LED-heavy studios came along in May 2010.

For Linden Soles, he bridged the gap between the two channels that shared the same newsroom-as-set trends: BCTV (under Tony Parsons) and CNN (under Tom Johnson).

Studio 7, introduced in May 2010, marked the end of CNN's long-standing signature newsroom-as-set aesthetic.

This setup for CNN's Studio 7 in Atlanta influenced its Washington studio in the early-2010's.

Clickspring Design designed Studio 7 for CNN.

By 2014, as production shifted to New York and Washington, CNN's real Studio 7 was dormant, and it utilized virtual backdrops before abandoning the use for daytime programs.

Jeff Zucker masterminded the brief reinstatement of the newsroom-as-set trends for CNN before Chris Licht removed them permanently.

During the early-to-mid-2020's, both CNN and HLN moved away from CNN Centre and went back to their origins at Techwood Drive.

In June 2025, The Source with Kaitlan Collins moved to Washington D.C. with the newsroom-as-set trend, reinstating CNN's iconic aesthetic.

From its launch in the early-1980's (which came 19 months after the original CNN started), to February 2005, CNN Headline News used a multi-monitor control room-like set.

In 1993, CNN Headline News introduced its constant SportsTicker, and 6 years later, in the late-1990's, CNN Headline News introduced a newsroom-as-set trend to facilitate four watches.

On August 6, 2001, a revamp for CNN Headline News came with an internet-inspired presentation.

Similarly, both BCTV (CHAN-TV) and CNN made obsolete their iconic and famous newsroom-as-set trends in 2010 after the late-2009 departures of both Tony Parsons and Lou Dobbs.

Lou Dobbs left CNN in November 2009, and Tony Parsons later left BCTV (CHAN-TV) in December 2009.

For CNN, its newsroom-as-set trend at its two main Atlanta hubs, inspired by BCTV (CHAN-TV), has become the DNA for 24-hour global television news channels since its 1980 inception.

Roone Arledge and Reese Schonfeld served as masterminds in bringing newsroom-as-set trends to the world through ABC News and CNN.

Studio 33 at the CBS Broadcast Centre served as a testing ground for the Walter Cronkite-era studio set being used for the CBS Evening News until 1986, when it moved 14 studio numbers up.

The Graybar Building, adjoining Grand Central, was the testing ground for the CBS Evening News, the first half-hour evening newscast on network television.

In 1981, after Dan Rather took over the anchor position, the studio set used by Walter Cronkite for the CBS Evening News at Studio 33 was revamped with a world map backdrop.

After moving 14 studios up from 33 in August 1986, the CBS Evening News set was revamped with a world map backdrop recoloured and a deeper blue background.

For the 1990 midterm elections, the CBS Evening News introduced the newsroom-as-set trend, which became permanent during the Gulf War and was revamped in 1996 by BDI.

Plus, the BDI-designed newsroom-as-set trend for the CBS Evening News was similar to CNN.

In South Florida, WSVN has two news studio sets, both built a few months before its 1989 switch: one with a control room backdrop, the other featuring the newsroom.

Not long after, WSVN began building the Newsplex project, bringing two of its 1989 sets together.

Using the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend, based on BCTV, the WSVN Newsplex is one of the most influential news sets in the world.

Sister station WHDH began using the WSVN format in 1993.

Upon its relocation to 299, CityPulse changed its format to a desk-less open working newsroom.

This desk-less CityPulse newsroom was based on the open-plan area for Today (NBC) from the RCA Exhibition Hall, in turn, the basis for CHUM-City's entire 299 Queen Street West headquarters.

By late-March 1993, when the new Canadian Broadcasting Centre became fully operational, the CBC started using a newsroom-as-set trend for its English-language television assets.

Radio-Canada, the CBC's French-language answer, has used the newsroom trend since the noughties.

However, this newsroom-as-set trend was not new for Radio-Canada, as it was already being used from the mid-1980's to 1989, and in the mid-1990's until 1997.

In Quebec, TVA used a newsroom-as-set trend at Studio N, based on CNN, from the late-1980's to the early-2010's, when it was replaced by an isolated studio designed by AKA Creative Group.

For BCTV, its newsroom-as-set trend became so successful that other television stations across British Columbia began using this format.

CHEK-TV, a sister station to BCTV (CHAN-TV), used the newsroom-as-set trend from 1984 to 1997.

780 Kings Road was a testing ground for CHEK-TV's newsroom-as-set trend from 1984 to 1997.

However, the CHEK-TV newsroom-as-set trend from 1984 to 1997 never reached the similar theatrical scale to BCTV's at Enterprise Street, which is located in the Lake City Industrial Park.

For example, CIVT, CKVU and CIVI are independent-style television stations in British Columbia that used the edgy, flashy and youth-oriented CityPulse newsroom-as-set trend.

Monika Deol, who hosted music-themed programs on CityTV/MuchMusic, was also a news anchor for both CIVT and CKVU, bridging the two stations that shared the same CityPulse trend.

Initially, the New VI (CIVI) used the CityPulse format until Hudson Mack from CHEK-TV came.

Under Hudson Mack, the New VI (CIVI) abandoned the informal CityPulse style and made changes to attract a broader audience, like adding a news anchor desk and a more traditional approach.

Since his arrival, Hudson Mack has revived the credibility and reputation of the New VI (CIVI).

CBUT has also used the newsroom-as-set trend since 2009.

However, the newsroom-as-set trend being used by BCTV (CHAN-TV) from 1975 to 2010 is the gold standard for television news in British Columbia.

Meanwhile, by completing of the March 2013 move of its news operations from Television Centre to Broadcasting House, the BBC began using a newsroom-as-set trend.

However, this newsroom-as-set trend was not new for the BBC's news operation, since it was already being used from the late-1980's until 1993 physically for the Nine O'Clock News.

Some of the complaints for the BBC's late-1980s attempt to do the newsroom-as-set trend for the Nine O'Clock News include flashing computer screens, walking news staff and ringing telephones.

Virtually, the newsroom backdrop was used for the domestic BBC News programs for four years since 1972, and again from the late-1990's to 2013.

During its initial years, ITN was based at Television House at Kingsway in London, which also housed Associated-Rediffusion's administrative headquarters and transmission facilities.

In 1969, ITN relocated to its new headquarters at 48 Wells Street in London's West End.

As for Associated-Rediffusion's successor Thames, it moved to its purpose-built studios and offices at Euston Road.

Upon its move to its new hub at 200 Grays Inn Road designed by Norman Foster, ITN used a working newsroom for its newscasts on ITV until the mid-1990's.

Whereas some news programs from ITN emanated from 200 Grays Inn Road, others like News at Ten (ITV) still emanated from ITN House, based at 48 Wells Street, for a period after its move.

Sky News had used the newsroom-as-set trend from its February 1989 debut to the late-2010's.

John O'Loan masterminded this newsroom-as-set trend for Sky News upon its 1989 launch.

In contrast to the complaints that the BBC had in using the newsroom-as-set trend for the Nine O'Clock News, John O'Loan's Sky News set was slicker, more professional and more polished.

Plus, Sky News used the American-style happy talk format.

October 24, 2005 was when the Sky News Centre, a newsroom-as-set trend that was designed by Jack Morton Worldwide and built by the Janson Design Group and PDG, was introduced.

The newsroom-as-trend for Sky News upon its 1989 launch was influenced by global broadcasters like CNN.

For Australia's three commercial television services, their news operations have enclosed and isolated studio sets comprising of a world map backdrop with a blue hue until the late-1990's.

In late-1985, National Nine News in Melbourne/Victoria broke from tradition with the newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Australia.

Similar to the newsroom-as-set trend that ABC World News Tonight used during its initial years in New York as its main hub, this trend for National Nine News in Melbourne/Victoria lasted until 1993.

National Nine News in Brisbane/Queensland also began using the newsroom set in the late-1980's.

In 1996, a revamped studio set for National Nine News in Brisbane/Queensland was first used, being similar to the Dan Rather-era CBS Evening News studio designed by BDI, also since 1996.

With the relocation to its new headquarters in Pyrmont in 1997, Ten News in Sydney/New South Wales began using the newsroom-as-set trend.

However, the newsroom-as-set trend was not new for Ten News in Sydney/New South Wales, as it was already being used in the late-1980's as the last one from North Ryde.

During Brisbane's World Expo, Ten News in Brisbane/Queensland used the newsroom-as-set trend.

From the mid-noughties to the mid-2020's, Seven News in Sydney/New South Wales used a street-side studio at Martin Place, based on Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza used by Today (NBC).

Televisa began using the newsroom-as-set trend designed by BDI in the mid-noughties.

Based on CNN (and in turn, BCTV), Televisa's own newsroom-as-set trend was part of the newly-built expansion of its Chapultepec headquarters.

However, the newsroom-as-set trend was not new for Televisa, as it was already used shortly after the April 1997 death of Emilio Azcarraga Milmo until 1998 for 24 Horas with Jacobo Zabludovsky.

Plus, Televisa's local stations, like XEWT and XHBC, use the newsroom-as-set trend.

Rival TV Azteca used the newsroom-as-set trend for some Hechos editions from the late-1990's to the noughties.

ECO, which is television's first all-news service in both Latin America and the Hispanic world, used a multi-monitor control room set similar to CNN Headline News.

During the Carlos Menem presidency, newsroom-as-set trends were introduced to Argentina in a more modern and professional manner.

For example, Telenoche (Canal 13), from 1990 to the mid-2010's, used a set featuring a multi-monitor control room as its main backdrop, designed to have a working newsroom feel.

From 1990 to 2002, 24 Horas (TVN) utilized a small newsroom-as-set trend.

Teletrece (UCTV) used the newsroom-as-set trend from the 1990's to the noughties.

However, the newsroom-as-set trend was not new for Teletrece (UCTV), as it was already used for its secondary editions (afternoons/late-nights) during the 1980's.

QAP broke from tradition by using a newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Colombia.

Based on one for CNN (and in turn, BCTV), the newsroom-as-set trend for QAP conveyed urgency and transparency that other newscasts in Colombia have not.

Since QAP, this newsroom-as-set trend has been used by Colombia's private television services, such as RCN, Caracol and CityTV, the latter being based on the original Toronto version.

From the early-1990's to 2017, Uruguay's Canal 4 used the newsroom-as-set trend called the Centro Monte Carlo de Noticias, translated into English as the Monte Carlo News Centre.

The Centro Monte Carlo De Noticias was based on one for CNN, and in turn, BCTV.

Also in Uruguay, Teledoce utilized newsroom-as-set trends, including the one being based upon CNN International from the late-1990's to the mid-2010's.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese-language answer to Mexico's Televisa, run by Silvio Santos, pioneered the working newsroom-as-set trend through its newscast by Boris Casoy in the late-1980's.

For the newsroom studio set used by the Portuguese-language answer to Televisa, which Silvio Santos owned, it was based on ABC News' Washington hub, with the Walter Cronkite-era news desk.

Earlier on, a national television channel, owned by Jewish businessman Adolpho Bloch, pioneered the physical news studio set featuring a multi-monitor control room as its main backdrop.

The multi-monitor control room set used for Adolpho Bloch's television network was the first in Latin America's largest nation to have a working newsroom feel, made à la CNN.

Oscar Niemayer's modern structure served as the testing ground for the working newsroom feel (which Adolpho Bloch's own television network pioneered).

Vila Guilherme was the testing ground for the newsroom-as-set trend that Silvio Santos' own television network had pioneered.

Incidentally, the two national television networks arose from the first television network in both South America and the Potuguese-speaking world.

TROS Aktua (formerly Aktua-TV) used a newsroom-as-set trend, which was one of the first to do so in Europe, upon its debut in 1974 until 1985.

VTM used newsroom-as-set trends, including one designed by BDI from 1996 to the mid-noughties. 

Until 1984, both Tagesschau (ARD) and Heute (ZDF) held a national duopoly on the German television news landscape.

However, PKS/Sat.1 broke from tradition by using the newsroom-as-set trend made in cooperation with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

Sat.1, which began in 1984 as the first private television station in Germany on a national basis, put the newsroom-as-set trend on the television map of the DACH region.

Zeit Im Bild (ORF) and Tagesschau (SF DRS) have both used studio sets with the open newsroom as a backdrop during the mid-1980's, the earlier starting in 1984, the latter in 1985.

Whilst Sat.1 aired short newscasts, in cooperation with the FAZ newspaper, upon its 1984 launch, RTL Plus aired 7 Vor 7, the first long-form newscast within Germany's private television sector.

ProSieben utilized the newsroom-as-set trend based on WSVN (and in turn, CNN and BCTV) for three years since 1996.

In August 1986, Aktuellt (SVT) began using the newsroom-as-set trend, the first to do so in the Nordic region (but on a temporary basis).

Nyhetshuset was a testing ground for the newsroom-as-set trend for Aktuellt (SVT).

This newsroom-as-set trend for Aktuellt (SVT) became a permanent one with the debut of ABC, which formerly used to be a regional newscast covering Stockholm and Uppsala.

For Aktuellt (SVT), the permanent newsroom-as-set trend setup lasted until September 2001.

Since its debut in September 1990, TV4 (Sweden) had used the newsroom as a studio backdrop from its two primary headquarters in Stockholm, influenced by global news like CNN and BCTV.

A property based in Storangsbotten in Stockholm became a television studio, but also served as a testing ground for the first ever newsroom studio set for TV4 from September 1990 to May 1996.

Besides, TV2 (Denmark), TV2 (Norway) and MTV3 (Finland) are the other privately-owned television channels in the Nordics that use the newsroom-as-set trends.

For TV2 (Denmark), its newsroom-as-set trend has been consistent since its late-1980's launch. 

Meanwhile, TV2 (Norway) used the newsroom-as-set trend briefly upon its launch, but was covered in 1993 and returned physically in the mid-noughties, virtually in 2013 and physically in 2017.

On the other hand, MTV3 (Finland) used the real newsroom-as-set trend from 1993 to the late-2010's.

Rediffusion (Hong Kong) was a pioneering broadcaster, and used a newsroom-as-set trend, styled after American networks (specifically ABC), the first in East Asia.

In the mid-1980's era, NHK General TV began using the newsroom-as-set trend for News Centre 9, the first of its kind in Japan, which lasted until its demise in the late-1980's.

This newsroom-as-set trend for NHK's NC9 program was styled after American networks.

During this period, Taro Kimura, born in the United States, and Midori Miyazaki, who formerly did the weather forecasts for this program, anchored NC9 from the newsroom.

Meanwhile, in 1985, All-Nippon News Network (ANN) began using the newsroom-as-set trend, which was based on one for CNN (and in turn, BCTV).

The Ark Broadcasting Centre, to which ANN moved in 1985, was the testing ground for the innovative newsroom-as-set trend within Japan's commercial television sector.

Even with its move to Roppongi Hills, ANN still used the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend.

Whereas NHK was a pioneer in using the newsroom-as-set trend for News Centre 9, TV Asahi's News Station did the same, but within the commercial television sector.

News Station's launch stemmed from Japan Cable Television, which TV Asahi partly owned, striking a deal with CNN, back in the early-1980's.

JCTV's deal with CNN led to the latter's official introduction to Japan in 1984.

In 1998, a year after its relocation to Odaiba in March 1997, Fuji News Network (FNN) began to use a CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend, lasting until 2013.

Kenzo Tange's ultramodern building served as the testing ground for the newsroom-as-set trend, which FNN used.

Meanwhile, Nippon News Network (NNN) used the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend, not simply for Plus 1 in its last years, but also for its Real Time program in its first years.

NHK Japan-World opened its headquarters in New York in spring 2021, utilizing the newsroom-as-set trend that Provost Design had created.

Also in the 1980's, with colour, KBS' news division began using newsroom-as-set trends.

Still in South Korea, MBC used the newsroom-as-set trend similar to the BDI-designed CBS Evening News set, which lasted during the first half of the noughties.

In the Philippines, ABS-CBN has earned its reputation for offering TV Patrol, a tabloid-like newscast revolutionizing Filipino television news.

Before TV Patrol, Filipino television news had English-language newscasts in a broadsheet format.

With TV Patrol, Filipino television news was in Tagalog in a sensationalized tabloid manner, similar to tabloid newspapers and radio news (specifically Radyo Patrol).

iTV, which was the first television service to be operated independently on the UHF band in Thailand, broke from tradition by adopting the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend upon its 1996 launch.

Central European Media Enterprises (CME) is a media company initially using American roots.

Led by former US ambassadors Ronald Lauder and Mark Palmer, CME has been a pioneer in bringing Western-influenced (Western European and American) media principles to the Eastern Bloc.

For CME, it facilitates the Eastern Bloc's television modernization by mixing Western-style television presentation (specifically American and Hollywood) with local Eastern content.

Plus, CME exports Western management and marketing strategies to the Eastern Bloc.

Since 2020, CME has been run by the PFF Group, a multinational investment group founded by Czech businessman Petr Kellner, breaking from its American ties.

The Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) is the first and leading private television channel in the Arabic-speaking world.

Initially based in London, MBC has been a pioneer in bringing Western-style (Western European and American) media principles to the Arab world.

MBC facilitates the modernization of television in the Arab world by mixing Western-style television presentation (specifically American and Hollywood) with local Arab content, similar to CME.

Plus, like CME, MBC exports Western management and marketing strategies to the Arab world.

Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, a Saudi businessman who was educated in the United States, launched MBC as part of his ARAvision group.

London had freedom of press and a neutral and independent territory, so it was MBC's first location.

Both CME and MBC are pioneers in bringing Western media principles to the two emerging markets in Eurasia, turning them into pluralistic, commercially-driven media economies.

Sam Barnett, who worked at MBC Group from 2002 to 2025 (14 as its CEO), also works at CME.

For Sam Barnett, he bridges both the CME and MBC companies, which, from their early period in the 1990's, facilitated television's modernization in both the Eastern Bloc and the Arab world.

During the Cold War, television in Eastern Europe was staid.

With the television channels held by CME, television in Eastern Europe was modernized by adopting newsroom-as-set trends based on CNN.

Ronald Lauder and Mark Palmer were CME's American-born co-founders who utilized Western-made broadcast technology, infrastructure and expertise previously unused in Eastern Europe.

Prior to CNN's innovative coverage of the first Gulf War, television stations across the Arab world have used isolated and enclosed news studio sets.

Spurred by CNN's coverage of the first Gulf War, private television channels in the Arab world, such as MBC, adopted newsroom-as-set trends based on CNN.

Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, a Saudi businessman educated in the United States, to begin MBC as part of his ARAvision group.

London had freedom of press and a neutral and independent territory, so it was MBC's first location.

London, which served as the primary base for MBC until 2002, was a testing ground for Western-made broadcast technology, infrastructure and expertise previously unused in the Arab world.

Dubai Media City was MBC's second base from 2002 to 2022, with Saudi Arabia as its third base.

For most of its run at Dubai Media City, MBC used the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend.

Al-Arabiya, which is MBC's sister channel, also used the similar CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend as MBC from its launch around the Iraqi War until 2020.

Clickspring Design renovated MBC's CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend at Dubai Media City in 2017, which blended Islamic-inspired design elements with modern technology.

Meanwhile, Clickspring Design made Al-Arabiya's studio in 2020.

This newsroom-as-set trend was not new for MBC, however, as it was already being used, while at its London studios, starting in the mid-1990's.

Robert Wiener and Eason Jordan installed a link from Baghdad to CNN during the first Gulf War.

The trio that comprised Bernard Shaw, Peter Arnett and John Holliman brought CNN to unprecedented success and popularity during Operation Desert Storm, due to Robert Wiener's telephone link.

Peter Arnett was the sole CNN voice from Al-Rashid after Bernard Shaw and John Holliman left.

Beyond North America, CNN International distributed the American counterpart's coverage of the first Gulf War to many other countries around the world.

Besides, Al-Jazeera, in its original Arabic iteration, used newsroom-as-set trends for news updates; its main studio was isolated.

During the mid-2010's, Al-Jazeera's original version began using the newsroom as its main backdrop at Studio 5; Veech x Veech designed this one for Al-Jazeera's original version.

For its 25th anniversary, in 2021, Al-Jazeera's Studio 5 was renovated by Clickspring Design.

In its English-language version, Al-Jazeera has consistently used the newsroom-as-set trend from its primary Doha headquarters since its launch.

BBC Arabic Television used the newsroom-as-set trend physically from 2008 to 2013.

Sky News Arabia, like its original British version, has used the newsroom-as-set trend for most of the 2010's decade, which BDA designed.

The Abu Dhabi Media Centre at its twofour54 SEZ was the testing ground for Sky News Arabia.

Dubai Media Inc. had its own Dubai News Centre at Dubai Media City, which BDI designed.

For the Dubai News Centre at Dubai Media City, it is one of the most sophisticated newsrooms in the Middle East, based on one for CNN.

Abu Dhabi TV used a newsroom-as-set trend being designed by British-based Shaun Moore Design during the mid-noughties.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Future News and Murr Television (MTV) used CNN-style newsroom-as-set trends, both starting in the late-noughties.

During its initial years, Vesti on RTR/Russia-1 came from the Ostankino Technical Centre, featuring an enclosed and isolated studio set with a world map backdrop.

However, Ostankino suffered damage, which meant that Vesti (Russia-1) came from a makeshift studio with a plain backdrop, during the 1993 events.

Even after the 1993 events, and even with a new look, featuring its high-end opening sequence and its different backdrop, Vesti on RTR/Russia-1 still came from Ostankino.

Some months after the 1993 events, Vesti (Russia-1) moved from Ostankino to a different location.

At Yamskoye Pole, Vesti (Russia-1) had a newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Russia.

In joint cooperation with the Dutch, this newsroom-as-set trend for Vesti (Russia-1) demonstrated a worldwide influence on its design.

Based on one for CNN, and in turn, BCTV, this newsroom-as-set trend for Vesti (Russia-1) conveyed urgency and transparency that other newscasts in post-Soviet Russia have not.

Tele-Scena remodeled the Vesti newsroom-as-set trend in the mid-noughties.

Khreshchatyk Street, based in central Kyiv, once housed a radio and television studio during the Soviet period from the early-1950's to the early-1990's, when public television moved to the Pencil.

During its post-Soviet era, the Pencil housed public television in the Ukraine (with Khreshchatyk as its secondary hub).

March 9, 1996, which was the birthday of Taras Shevenchenko and the day after International Women's Day, was when a fire broke out at a radio and television studio at Khreshchatyk.

In late-2021, even before the break-out of the Russo-Ukrainian war in February 2022, Suspilne revived and modernized Khreshchatyk by introducing a modern newsroom-as-set trend.

This newsroom-as-set trend being developed for Suspilne at Khreshchatyk Street (influenced by global broadcasters like CNN) is called NewsHouse 2.0.

Housing the main television studio for NewsHouse 2.0 for Suspilne at Khreshchatyk is a glass cube.

Designing NewsHouse 2.0 for Suspilne at Khreshchatyk was a design team led by Slava Balbek.

With NewsHouse 2.0, Suspilne became the Ukraine's main source for accurate and unbiased news and information during the Russo-Ukrainian war.

NewsHouse 2.0, developed for Suspilne, serves as a collaboration between partners, like BBC Media Action and DW Akademie with funding from the European Union.

Having started at the dawn of the nation's post-communist and democratic era, Panorama (TVP2) had utilized the newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Poland, but via chroma key.

Not long after, Wiadomosci (TVP1) used the newsroom-as-set trend on a physical level.

Earlier on, Teleexpress used a multi-monitor control room set, emphasizing its fast-paced approach.

RCTI, as Indonesia's first private television channel, countered TVRI's state-run news formula with its dynamic, American-style news aesthetic.

Some elements shaping RCTI's American-influenced news style included a news set, which featured a multi-monitor control room backdrop, plus live reports, dynamic graphics and modern music.

Having lasted from late-August 1993 to around 2005, the RCTI news set, with a multi-monitor control room backdrop, was the first in Indonesia to have a working newsroom feel, made à la CNN.

Kebon Jeruk was a testing ground for this working newsroom feel, which RCTI had pioneered.

Initially, Seputar Indonesia used a studio set with a blue backdrop and the name, whilst Buletin Malam used a skyline backdrop via chroma key.

The late-August 1993 revamp led to the launch of the multi-monitor control room news set for RCTI.

What shaped RCTI's American-influenced approach as a counterweight to TVRI was the strategy being honed by Pete Langlois, who, for 11 years, was the news director at KCRA-TV.

SCTV, with its 2008 move to the SCTV Tower, located in the Senayan City complex, started using the newsroom-as-set trend on a larger physical level.

Plus, NET. has used the physical CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend, which BDI designed, since 2013.

Before RCTI and other private channels, TVRI had used enclosed and isolated news studio sets, with a world map backdrop as a authoritative symbol, either via chroma key or physically.

Not until the post-1998 reform period did Indonesian television, including TVRI, undertake significant restructuring towards true editorial independence.

On December 14, 2017, VTC broke from tradition by introducing a real and physical newsroom-as-set trend, which was the first of its kind in Vietnam.

Many Vietnamese television services, like VTV, have utilized traditional and enclosed news sets, either physical or virtual, for years.

This physical VTC newsroom set, inspired by global news broadcasters, like CNN and the BBC, lasted from December 2017 until the January 2025 shutdown of its digital television services.

Whether on ABC Sports, ABC News, CNN, ESPN or many other TV channels all over the world, the innovations by Roone Arledge take news and sports to a cinematic level.