Seasonal and astronomical twist on Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, having been born in a Fire Tiger year, is not just the ultimate pop culture/sex icon in Hollywood and pop culture history, but an eternal flame.

The Fire element also represents Marilyn Monroe in her vibrant beauty, warmth, genius and inner star power, but also her energy, her charisma and as a spark of the global sexual revolution.

Furthermore, Marilyn Monroe's birth on June 1, 1926 also coincides with the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere under the weather system, with the astronomical one on the 20th or 21st.

In the Northern Hemisphere, summer has high heat and extended daylight, proven to be true to Marilyn Monroe as pop culture's ultimate summer girl.

Representing summer is the heat of both the fire and the sun, which is true to Marilyn Monroe as a Fire Tiger, her birth/death and her hot, sexy, sultry and fiery summer girl image/persona.

Summer also reflects the hot, sexy, sultry and fiery heat of Marilyn Monroe's public image.

Marilyn Monroe's death, which is being held on August 4, 1962, is also taken place during the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere.

In addition, Marilyn Monroe's sultriness, in vocal quality and choreography, also mirrors the heavy and humid haze of a mid-summer afternoon.

Plus, Marilyn Monroe's blonde hair is a visual solar flare.

The Fire element is also tied into Marilyn Monroe's iconic and world-famous flying white dress scene being held in a summer heatwave.

Overall, summer represents Marilyn Monroe (birth/death) in her hot, sexy, sultry and fiery summer girl image/persona.

Like a fiery summer wildfire/bonfire, Marilyn Monroe sets the world on sexual fire; she is a hot, sexy, sultry, charismatic and emotional girl/woman with a high-energy summer vibe.

Decades after her death, Marilyn Monroe's fiery and summery hot and sexy legacy is unextinguished.

Having died in a Water Tiger year, Marilyn Monroe melts herself from a living flesh-and-blood person into a fluidly adapted figure, whose legacy/mystique flows through generations like the river.

Besides, the Water element also represents Marilyn Monroe in her soul, emotion and youth.

Standing exposed in the pouring rain means that Marilyn Monroe has the intense personal scrutiny, the hidden trauma and the pressures behind the scenes, all affecting her life.

For Marilyn Monroe, a rainfall, mirroring human tears, symbolizes issues that evoke emotion.

With her watery complex legacy and her rainy private life, Marilyn Monroe is a young figure who has emotions; for her, the phrase is fittingly sentimental: Sucks to be You (SUX2BU).

However, standing in the pouring rain, not to mention splashing water at the beach, also gives Marilyn Monroe slicked-back wet hair in photoshoots that are soulful, sexy and youthful.

Besides, Marilyn Monroe is also a female figure being born 20 days just before the end of spring in the Northern Hemisphere under the astronomical system.

Spring has the Wood element symbolizing youth, true to Marilyn Monroe as a youthful icon.

Rain also acts as a bridge between the sky (air) and earth (ground) elements, which proves to be true to Marilyn Monroe's status/reputation as pop culture's spring girl.

1926 also has the nature of the Wood element, true to Marilyn Monroe as a youthful Tiger girl.

Overall, both the water and the spring represent Marilyn Monroe in her soul, emotion and youth.

The Water element represents the lowest and the deepest frequencies, but also the dark and mysterious depths of the ocean; this holds true for Marilyn Monroe.

A husky, sultry voice like Marilyn Monroe's mirrors moving water's fluid, echoing quality.

Plus, films/photoshoots depict Marilyn Monroe's watery slicked-back wet hair reflecting her birth in the meteorological summer and astronomical spring seasons.

With the water mixed with the fire to make steam, Marilyn Monroe's physical body is cut short, moving from a living flame into an elusive, misty, spiritual and atmospheric icon.

Even the heavy rain/water droplets cannot dim/extinguish Marilyn Monroe's fire.

Using the steam, Marilyn Monroe is delivering sexy, sultry and steamy performances, evidenced in her films/photoshoots, her passionate kisses and her slicked-back wet hair.

In addition, as a girl/woman being born on a day with the Gemini Sun sign, Marilyn Monroe is a witty, youthful and sparkling icon with a breathy voice and a love for books.

Marilyn Monroe's death on a day with the Leo Sun sign cements her status as a sexy icon.

Plus, the air represents the pressures and scrutiny surrounding Marilyn Monroe.

Conversely, the Air element is tied into Marilyn Monroe's iconic and world-famous flying white dress subway scene, but the Air also represents her voice as having a sexy and gentle breeze.

Lacking the Earth element makes Marilyn Monroe a complex girl, feeling detached from the physical world.

Using the water and air elements, Marilyn Monroe is a sex icon using a breathy, whispery and airy, yet husky, soulful, sultry and emotional on-screen/off-screen voice.

The Gemini Sun represents Marilyn Monroe in her intellect, her communication and her famous dual identity; the Leo Sun has her magnetic physical presence and her Hollywood royalty.

Besides, the Aquarius Moon represents Marilyn Monroe's progressive and inner emotional world.

Having been a girl/woman born on the outset of summer weather in a year of the Fire element, Marilyn Monroe delivers a hot, sexy and high-energy summer vibe.

Three dimensions define Marilyn Monroe's hot, sexy and youthful persona echoing the title of her own early-1950's film being released after her breakthrough in 1950:

• As young as she feels: Young, hot, sexy, sultry, dynamic, energetic, classy, emotive, passionate, beautiful, vibrant, soulful, fierce/fiery, smouldering, gut-wrenching and poignant

• As young as she looks: Young, hot, sexy, sultry, steamy, seductive, beautiful, charismatic, kind, charming, fierce/fiery, gorgeous, smouldering and emotive

• As young as she sounds: Young, hot, sexy, sultry, beautiful, smooth, steamy, seductive, soulful, fierce/fiery, soft, soothing, breathy, cooing, smouldering, gut-wrenching and emotive

Plus, echoing the Fire element, which represents her birth year 1926, her birth/death (taken place in the summer) and her late-1950's film, many publicly like Marilyn Monroe hot, sexy and sultry.

Conversely, echoing the Water element, which represents her death year 1962, alongside her frequently tragic life and her astronomically spring birth, Marilyn Monroe is soulfully sexy.

Furthermore, echoing the Gemini zodiac, which has its airy nature, but also represents her June 1, 1926 birthday, Marilyn Monroe uses her breezy voice, charisma and charm.

Using fire, air and water, Marilyn Monroe is a multi-dimensional star: young, hot, sexy, sultry, steamy, beautiful, smouldering, gut-wrenching, dynamic, vibrant, soulful, emotive, etc.

Newsroom-as-set trends/working newsroom feels outside the Anglosphere

The RTF/ORTF had held a monopoly on French television for years.

With the split of the RTF/ORTF under the 1974 law, TF1, Antenne 2 and FR3 began their operations on January 6, 1975 as France's Big Three television channels.

For Antenne 2, although state-owned, it was uniquely a television channel known for innovation.

On February 14, 1977, which was an appropiate day celebrating love, symbolized by hearts, Antenne 2 introduced a new look to its newscasts (in music, intros and presentation).

Jean-Pierre Elkabbach masterminded the 1977 look for the newscasts on Antenne 2.

November 1977 was when Antenne 2 began using a chroma key backdrop. 

using an American-like newsroom/bullpen via its regional stations.

The Normandie region, served by FR3, had two stations, one in Rouen, the other in Caen.

During the early-1980's era, FR3's Caen news operation made its relocation to Rue Fred-Scamaroni; its editor-in-chief Henri Sannier delivered the news from the newsroom.

19/20 (FR3), upon its May 6, 1986 debut, put the newsroom-as-set trend being seen in FR3's own Caen operation on a national basis via Henri Sannier.

Antenne 2 responded to the immense success being made by 19/20 (FR3) by hiring Henri Sannier.

Coupled with its opening sequence being created by David Niles, during the late-1980's era, Antenne 2 utilized the newsroom as a studio centrepiece under Henri Sannier, but via chroma key.

On September 6, 1989, not long after the 200th anniversary of the 1789 French Revolution, TF1 began tearing down the walls of a world map for a physical mutli-monitor control room backdrop.

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

Sat.1 and RTL, both being the first national private television channels in Germany, countered this news formula of both ARD and ZDF with their American-style news aesthetics in 1984.

For Sat.1, its own launch on January 1, 1984 (New Year's Day 1984) resulted in the introeduction of the newsroom-as-set trend to the DACH region.

ORF and SF DRS followed in the Sat.1 footsteps by adopting this trend, first in 1984 and then in 1985.

ProSieben embraced the physical newsroom-as-set trend based on WSVN (and BCTV/CNN) for three years since 1996.

N24 (now Welt) has used the physical newsroom-as-set trend since the mid-noughties.

The television iteration of TROS Aktua was one of the first news programs outside the Anglosphere to embrace an American-like newsroom/bullpen, both on a regular basis and in a physical form.

Lasting from October 1974 to October 1984, with an exception that lasted 2 years starting in 1981, the bullpen was a regular studio feature for the television iteration of TROS Aktua.

Wibo van de Linde developed a unique style through his ties to American media.

In 1961, Wibo van de Linde began his career in journalism as an apprentice at the US-based UPI news agency; he was the the official Dutch reporter for Time-Life.

Besides, in 1977, Wibo van de Linde hosted Europe Calling, an English-language program for TROS.

Europe Calling is a Dutch program focusing on international American network approaches, which had aired in August 1977.

For Wibo van de Linde, his vision for TROS Aktua did not just emulate American aesthetics, he made a different form of journalism in the Benelux.

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

Having been based on BCTV/CNN, Televisa's own newsroom-as-set trend was part of the newly-built expansion of its Chapultepec headquarters.

However, this 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 (Artear) used a studio set, which featured a multi-monitor control room as its primary backdrop, designed to have a working newsroom feel.

In Chile, from 1990 to 2002, 24 Horas (TVN) utilized a small-sized newsroom-as-set trend.

Also in Chile, 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.

Meanwhile, in Peru, Red Global used the Canal De Noticias NBC set, but through chroma key, and in 1997, a physical newsroom-as-set trend was used.

From the early-1990's to 2017, Uruguay's Canal 4 used the newsroom-as-set trend known as 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.

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

In August 1986, Aktuellt (SVT) began to use the newsroom as a backdrop, but on a temporary basis.

The newsroom-as-set trend for Aktuellt (SVT) became a permanent one with the launch of ABC, which served as a regional newscast covering Stockholm and Uppsala.

For Aktuellt (SVT), the newsroom-as-set trend on a regular basis lasted until September 2001.

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

During its first 17 years, TV4 (Sweden) had used the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend.

Storangsbotten, located in Stockholm, housed a television studio, which doubled as a testing ground for the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend for TV4 from September 1990 to May 1996.

On the other hand, MTV3 (Finland) used the physical CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend, which lasted from 1990 to the late-2010's.

The use of this newsroom-as-set trend for MTV3 (which was similar to one for CNN) started with the imminent launch of its 7 p.m. newscast in 1990.

Pollolaakso, located in Ilmala in Helsinki, near its railway station, served as the testing ground for the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend for MTV3.

MTV3's newsroom-as-set trend was modernized in 2001 for its 20th year since its 1981 launch.

Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), during 1977, broke from tradition by using the American-style multi-monitor control room news set, the first of its kind in Asia.

For TVB, its 1977 news studio design was based on Fred Harpman's futurist, high-tech and cinematic NewsCentre design for NBC, and in turn, the open area for Today (NBC) under Dave Garroway.

NBC modelled Fred Harpman's NewsCentre, the elements of which were adapted from his own nerve centre designs in Search/Probe and Fantastic Voyage and for the 1977 TVB news set.

Rediffusion Television (Hong Kong), during 1980, broke from tradition by utilizing the American-style newsroom-as-set trend, the first of its kind in Asia, like TVB during 1977.

During 1980, RTV used the ABC News elements under Roone Arledge, like a masthead.

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 this 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) started to use a CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend, lasting until 2013.

Kenzo Tange's ultra-modern building was the permanent home for the FNN newsroom-as-set trend.

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.

December 1, 1980 was when colour television was introduced to South Korea, with full-time national colour services launching on January 1, 1981.

Using NTSC colour, South Korea's television industry had made many improvements.

In the early-to-mid-1980's era, KBS' television services pioneered Western-like aesthetics, including the newsroom-as-set trend and the working newsroom feel, the first of any kind in South Korea.

July 1984 was when KBS adopted its CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend for its flagship 9 p.m. newscast that lasted until the turn of the 21st century.

The brief interruption of the KBS newsroom-as-set trend was from January 1997 to May 1998.

Meanwhile, MBC adopted the newsroom-as-set rend, based on one for the CBS Evening News, which BDI designed in 1996; it lasted during the first half of the noughties.

SBS also used the CNN-style newsroom-as-set trend (with a rotating news desk) for its main newscast from the mid-noughties to the early-2010's.

However, this newsroom-as-set trend was not new for SBS, as it was already used for its main 8 p.m. newscast upon its debut in the early-1990's, like KBS.

With Taiwan's martial law being lifted, TTV began using the newsroom-as-set trend in 1989.

Just as Rediffusion (Hong Kong) was the first television channel in East Asia and the Chinese world to utilize the newsroom-as-set trend, TTV was the first in Taiwan to do so.

During its first 3 decades, from the mid-1960's to December 31, 1993, MediaCorp's precursors utilized isolated and enclosed news sets, either using a skyline or a plain backdrop.

However, spurred by Singapore Cable Vision (SCV), the first of its channels being NewsVision (whose schedule comprised CNN International), television news in Singapore made some changes.

For instance, Channel 5 began using CNN-like newsroom studio set.

NDTV, which is the first independent news broadcaster in India, has endured its dynamic, modern and Western-style news aesthetic since its inception in the late-1980's.

Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy, both educated in the UK, are the former masterminds behind NDTV.

Doordarshan, having endured a monopoly on Indian television, offered both domestic and global news coverage, with NDTV as a private television production house.

The World This Week was the first program produced for NDTV.

For its debut, The World This Week used a studio set design, which was made on a physical level with monitor banks, in contrast to Doordarshan's staid design.

Due to the success of its first program called The World This Week, NDTV joined with Doordarshan to present the television coverage of the 1989 Indian general election.

For one reason, the television coverage of the 1989 Indian general election was the first of its kind to be offered on a live basis.

Plus, the live television coverage of the 1989 Indian general election was co-produced by NDTV, which marked the first time a private news broadcaster did election broadcasts.

In addition, this televised coverage of the 1989 Indian general election, co-produced by NDTV, featured national hotlines, polling analysts and technical innovations, like dynamic visuals.

Besides, the bullpen was used as a studio feature for the television coverage of the 1989 Indian general election, co-produced by NDTV.

Unusually, the bullpen was at the back of the studio for NDTV's 1989 Indian general election telecast.

CNN's Gulf War coverage, for instance, entirely bypassed state media, introducing Indian audiences to real-time world breaking news.

Li Ka-shing and his company Hutchison Whampoa, in partnership with his son Richard Li, co-founded Star TV in the early-1990's era.

Whereas Li Ka-shing backed Star TV, Richard Li was the driving force behind this venture.

Using AsiaSat 1, partly-owned by Hutchison Whampoa, Star TV provided programming in the English language to Asia.

Hong Kong, a former British territory, served as a testing ground for Star TV.

Rupert Murdoch acquired Star TV from Li Ka-shing, Hutchison Whampoa and Richard Li, in 1993.

Star TV used Western-made broadcast technology, infrastructure and expertise not previously used in a media landscape in some Asian regions dominated by state-run media.

Zee TV, which Star TV initially ran in a partnership with Essel Group, is India's first private television service.

Before Star TV, television assets in some Asian regions used isolated and enclosed news sets.

However, spurred by Star TV, television assets in some Asian regions started utilizing newsroom-as-set trends based upon CNN.

Television news in South Asia underwent its modernization, spurred by NDTV, the 1990's satellite TV boom and India's economic reforms.

Kargil is the battleground for the late-1990's war between India and Pakistan.

Pervez Musharraf, who was the architect of the Kargil War, also led Pakistan until August 2008, putting liberalization on this nation's map in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

During the Pervez Musharraf era, private television stations in India's neighbour exploded.

Issuing the private television stations in India's neighbour is PEMRA.

Bangladesh, a country that is formerly being used to be the eastern province of India's neighbour, also endured a private television explosion.

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.

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.

As glasnost and perestroika loosened strict controls on media, Eduard Sagalaev changed the television landscape in the Eastern Bloc with Vzglyad, the 12th Floor, 7 Days and TSN.

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, an American-educated Saudi businessman, ran MBC as the television service of his ARAvision group.

London, known for its liberal and independent media environment, was MBC's first base.

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.

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

Spurred by CNN's Gulf War coverage, private Arabic TV channels use CNN-like newsroom studios.

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.

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, based at twofour54, was a 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 2008 and 2009.

For Future News, its newsroom-as-set trend, designed by Ali Wazani, was introduced in 2008.

Shigeru Takato designed the newsroom-as-set trend for Murr Television (MTV) in 2009.

RCTI, the first privately-owned television channel in Indonesia, has endured its dynamic, modern and American-style news aesthetic since its 1989 inception.

Some of the American-style news elements for the RCTI channel include a news set, which featured a multi-monitor control room backdrop, plus live reports, dynamic graphics and modern music.

The 1993 RCTI news studio, with a multi-monitor control room backdrop, was the first in Indonesia to utilize a working newsroom feel.

Kebon Jeruk was the permanent home for a working newsroom feel, which RCTI pioneered.

Pete Langlois, who was the news director at KCRA-TV, a local NBC station in the United States, had shaped RCTI's American-style strategy since its 1989 inception.

NBC modelled Fred Harpman's NewsCentre, the elements of which were adapted from his own nerve centre designs in Search/Probe and Fantastic Voyage and for RCTI's 1993 news studio.

Incidentally, NBC had good relations with KCRA-TV (from which Pete Langlois came to Indonesia to shape RCTI's US-style strategy).

Therefore, Fred Harpman's NewsCentre design, which NBC (and WNBC-TV) had commissioned, was adapted for the innovative 1993 news set with a multi-monitor backdrop for RCTI.

SCTV, with its 2008 relocation to the new, high-tech and multi-story SCTV Tower in the Senayan City complex, was Indonesia's first TV channel to use the newsroom as a studio feature.

Liputan 6, starting in 2008, used the newsroom having an immersive space at the SCTV Tower.

For SCTV, its newsroom-as-set trend doubled down on RCTI's innovative news studio design that Pete Langlois conceived in 1993, due to its 2008 move to the SCTV Tower.

The newsroom as a studio centrepiece for SCTV, which, in turn, was based on the Walter Cronkite-era CBS Evening News set, lasted from a new look in mid-August 2008 to the mid-2010's.

RCTI and SCTV, both privately-owned services that forged a joint agreement from 1990 to 1996, have introduced both the newsroom-as-set trend and the working newsroom feel to Indonesia.

NET. (Indonesia) used a newsroom-as-set trend, doubling down on SCTV's newsroom feature at the SCTV Tower in 2008, plus RCTI's control room news set that Pete Langlois conceived in 1993.

Designed in 2013 by BDI, the newsroom set for NET. was based on CNN (and in turn, BCTV).

Whereas SCTV had the newsroom set (without the multi-monitor control room), NET. bridged the gap between RCTI (1993 multi-monitor control room studio) and SCTV (2008 newsroom studio).

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.

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 its digital TV services ended in mid-January 2025.

Newsroom-as-set trends in South Asia

NDTV, which is the first independent news broadcaster in India, has endured its dynamic, modern and Western-style news aesthetic since its inception in the late-1980's.

Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy, both educated in the UK, are the former masterminds behind NDTV.

Doordarshan, having endured a monopoly on Indian television, offered both domestic and global news coverage, with NDTV as a private television production house.

The World This Week was the first program produced for NDTV.

For its debut, The World This Week used a studio set design, which was made on a physical level with monitor banks, in contrast to Doordarshan's staid design.

Due to the success of its first program called The World This Week, NDTV joined with Doordarshan to present the television coverage of the 1989 Indian general election.

For one reason, the television coverage of the 1989 Indian general election was the first of its kind to be offered on a live basis.

Plus, the live television coverage of the 1989 Indian general election was co-produced by NDTV, which marked the first time a private news broadcaster did election broadcasts.

In addition, this televised coverage of the 1989 Indian general election, co-produced by NDTV, featured national hotlines, polling analysts and technical innovations, like dynamic visuals.

Besides, the bullpen was used as a studio feature for the television coverage of the 1989 Indian general election, co-produced by NDTV.

Unusually, the bullpen was at the back of the studio for NDTV's 1989 Indian general election telecast.

CNN's Gulf War coverage, for instance, entirely bypassed state media, introducing Indian audiences to real-time world breaking news.

Li Ka-shing and his company Hutchison Whampoa, in partnership with his son Richard Li, co-founded Star TV in the early-1990's era.

Whereas Li Ka-shing backed Star TV, Richard Li was the driving force behind this venture.

Using AsiaSat 1, partly-owned by Hutchison Whampoa, Star TV provided programming in the English language to Asia.

Hong Kong, a former British territory, served as a testing ground for Star TV.

Rupert Murdoch acquired Star TV from Li Ka-shing, Hutchison Whampoa and Richard Li, in 1993.

Star TV used Western-made broadcast technology, infrastructure and expertise not previously used in a media landscape in some Asian regions dominated by state-run media.

Zee TV, which Star TV initially ran in a partnership with Essel Group, is India's first private television service.

Before Star TV, television assets in some Asian regions used isolated and enclosed news sets.

However, spurred by Star TV, television assets in some Asian regions started utilizing newsroom-as-set trends based upon CNN.

Television news in South Asia underwent its modernization, spurred by NDTV, the 1990's satellite TV boom and India's economic reforms.

Kargil is the battleground for the late-1990's war between India and Pakistan.

Pervez Musharraf, who was the architect of the Kargil War, also led Pakistan until August 2008, putting liberalization on this nation's map in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

During the Pervez Musharraf era, private television stations in India's neighbour exploded.

Issuing the private television stations in India's neighbour is PEMRA.

Bangladesh, a country that is formerly being used to be the eastern province of India's neighbour, also endured a private television explosion.

Allie Nicole (indie singer-songwriter)

Allie Nicole (b. 1981) is an independent singer-songwriter.

For Allie Nicole, she has pop, rhythm & blues/soul, gospel and country genres; her singing voice has a soulful and emotive rhythm & blues-influenced tone.

Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand are early vocal idols for Allie Nicole.

Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, both inspired by the earlier's honorary aunt Aretha Franklin, are some other vocal idols for Allie Nicole.

Plus, Allie Nicole is inspired by Mariah Carey, whose key idol, in turn, is Marilyn Monroe.

Los Angeles, California is where Allie Nicole was born and raised.

Nashville, Tennessee is Allie Nicole's secondary base.

May 5, 1981 (Cinco de Mayo) is when Allie Nicole was born.

Cinco de Mayo is a popular holiday in the United States for celebrating Mexican-American culture and heritage.

Incidentally, Allie Nicole has Mexican roots.

Allison Nicole Noriega is Allie Nicole's full name.

TheAllieNicole is a social media handle being used by Allie Nicole.

Saddleback Church is where Allie Nicole was exposed to rhythm & blues/soul and gospel music via its Magnification Team.

Besides her work as a singer, Allie Nicole has paperie through her eponymous online shop called Allie Nicole Paperie.

Plus, Allie Nicole releases her own video series called Allie's Album Diaries.

Spring has the Wood element symbolizing youth, true to Allie Nicole as a youthful icon.

Rain also acts as a bridge between the sky (air) and earth (ground) elements, which proves to be true to Allie Nicole's status/reputation as a spring girl in music.

For Allie Nicole, she is represented by the Water element in her soul, emotion and youth.

Mirroring human tears, rain uses water drops, which holds true to Allie Nicole's soulful and emotional singing voice/music.

The Water element represents the lowest and the deepest frequencies, but also the dark and mysterious depths of the ocean; this holds true for Allie Nicole.

A husky, sultry voice like Allie Nicole's mirrors moving water's fluid, echoing quality.

One of the professional involvements for Allie Nicole is with the Walt Disney Company, which has its famous theme parks (Disneyland and Walt Disney World).

Like Xtina, Allie Nicole is a real-life Disney princess, but with a soulful rhythm & blues twist.

With her sob-choked, soulful and emotional gospel-like singing voice and her Disney experience, Allie Nicole (Allison Nicole Noriega) has the voice of a soulful and sad-tinged Disney princess.

For Allie Nicole (Allison Nicole Noriega), she is a female singer born in 1981, a year belonging to the Rooster zodiac, the Chinese zodiac with the most letters.

Dabbling in country music, Allie Nicole juxtaposes her soulful rhythm & blues-like singing voice with Nashville's twangy country sound.

Three dimensions define Allie Nicole's soulful singing persona echoing the name of Marilyn Monroe's early-1950's film being released after her breakthrough in 1950:

• As young as she feels: Young, hot, sexy, sultry, dynamic, energetic, classy, emotive, passionate, beautiful, vibrant, soulful, fierce/fiery, smouldering, gut-wrenching and poignant

• As young as she looks: Young, hot, sexy, sultry, steamy, seductive, beautiful, charismatic, kind, charming, fierce/fiery, gorgeous, smouldering and emotive

• As young as she sounds: Young, hot, sexy, sultry, beautiful, smooth, steamy, seductive, soulful, fierce/fiery, soft, soothing, breathy, cooing, smouldering, gut-wrenching and emotive

Danielle Fishel is another girl born on May 5, 1981 (Cinco de Mayo).

Having Maltese ancestry, Danielle Fishel is one of the 1981-born Maltese-descended girls.

California State University (Fullerton) is an educational institution for Danielle Fishel

Britney Spears is the most famous of all the 1981-born Maltese-descended girls.

One of the key idols for Britney Spears is Madonna, who, in turn, is inspired by Marilyn Monroe, with whom Britney Spears, often called Baby Madonna, shares similarities.

Similarly, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears have the name structure, with 7 letters in their first names and 6 in their last (13 overall); the earlier is a stage name, but the latter is real.

Both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears are also pop culture icons who earn fame and popularity at a young age and become sex icons, captivating both the public and media.

Likewise, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears are blondes whose natural hair colour is brown.

In addition, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears share a variation of the middle name: Jeane is for Marilyn Monroe, Jean for Britney Spears.

On the other hand, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears also use sexy facial expressions, but with differences.

Brentwood and Kentwood are quiet backdrops to the public lives of both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears, both ending with the "-entwod" suffix.

For Brentwood (a place that belongs to Marilyn Monroe), it has B and R as its first 2 letters, whilst for Kentwood (belonging to Britney Spears), it uses K as its first.

Plus, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears are child-women.

Having had a nasal soft baby voice, Britney Spears is a modern and pop-influenced version of Marilyn Monroe's breathy vocal approach, but also a modern Annette Funicello.

Nhu Loan is one of the pop princesses of the overseas Vietnamese music industry; others include Lynda Trang Dai, Minh Tuyet, Ky Phuong Uyen, Diem Suong and Toc Tien.

For California State University (Fullerton), it houses Danielle Fishel (who uses similar Maltese roots to Britney Spears), born on Cinco de Mayo 1981 like Allie Nicole (Allison Nicole Noriega).

Plus, California State University (Fullerton) houses Nhu Loan, who was also born in 1981, like Britney Spears, Danielle Fishel and Allie Nicole (Allison Nicole Noriega).

Like the hyper-sexualized Lynda Trang Dai, Minh Tuyet and Nhu Loan trio, the equally-sexualized Ky Phuong Uyen, Diem Suong and Toc Tien trio (all 1989-born) work for Thuy Nga.

Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz are Disney songwriters, creating songs for its television series and direct-to-video films.

Shanda Sawyer is a choreographer based in Los Angeles, having worked with some of the world's most famous icons in pop culture.

Disney is one of the clients with whom Shanda Sawyer has worked.

Besides Disney, the Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz trio make songs for Thuy Nga.

Whilst at Thuy Nga, the trio comprising Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz usually provide modern Western-style music arrangements and original compositions for Vietnamese artists.

This Western pop sound being honed at the Disney stable by the Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz trio was used at Thuy Nga, modernizing the overseas Vietnamese pop music sound.

Plus, the Thuy Nga script logo is similar to the iconic and world-famous script logo for the Walt Disney Company, inspired by Walt Disney's signature in a stylized version.

In addition, Shanda Sawyer is also a key creative force behind Thuy Nga's Paris by Night.

As a choreographer, Shanda Sawyer helps Vietnamese musicians modernize their stage presence and connect with a global audience through Hollywood-style choreography and production.

Prior to Shanda Sawyer, Paris by Night's stage presence was static and vocal-focused, its fashion was formal and traditional, its choreography was ballroom/basic and its production was minimal.

However, Shanda Sawyer modernized PBN with key aspects.

Due to Shanda Sawyer, PBN's stage presence is highly-energetic, its fashion is Westernized, edgy and trendy, its choreography is jazz, hip-hop and theatrical and its production has elaborate props.

The contributions to modernizing Thuy Nga for Shanda Sawyer include dance steps and rebranding the stage among the Vietnamese diaspora.

For Shanda Sawyer, she brings the American big-stage feel to Thuy Nga, and introduces midriff-baring costumes, sleek choreography and backup dancers to Vietnamese diasporic music.

Plus, Shanda Sawyer's Thuy Nga work copies Western trends, but also integrates them into this famous Vietnamese diasporic music stage, making the performances feel modern and global.

Since its 24th edition (1993), its anniversary special, the first filmed outside Thuy Nga's original France base, the Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz trio has made songs for Paris by Night.

The first Paris by Night program during the Shanda Sawyer era is Paris by Night - Made in Paris.

Noted Thuy Nga artists in collaboration with the Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz trio are Lynda Trang Dai, Minh Tuyet, Nhu Loan, Ky Phuong Uyen, Diem Suong and Toc Tien.

France, the original base for Thuy Nga, also houses EuroDisney, based east of the centre of Paris.

Likewise, Paris is also where both Lynda Trang Dai and Minh Tuyet made their debuts in the Paris by Night series under the Thuy Nga label.

Incidentally, Britney Spears, who serves as an idol for both Minh Tuyet and Nhu Loan, has been in the Walt Disney ecosystem, especially through the 1990's version of the Mickey Mouse Club.

For Halloween 2020, Minh Tuyet recalls Britney Spears by using a blue flight attendant uniform being utilized in the music video for Toxic.

Starting in the 2020's, Minh Tuyet often uses soulful, sexy and sultry vocal ad-libs.

These ad-libs, which have been used by Minh Tuyet since the 2020's era, come from her main Western idols Madonna, Britney Spears and Beyoncé, all inspired by Marilyn Monroe.

For instance, Minh Tuyet uses "Baby," "Oh, baby," "Baby, baby, baby" and "Uh-huh."

Like both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, Allie Nicole (Allison Nicole Noriega) is a modern Annette Funicello with a soulful and emotive twist.