Versatile CNN Studio 19x Hosts Town Hall on Coronavirus
In the wake of a global outbreak of COVID-19, CNN hosted a town hall entitled “Coronavirus: Facts and Fears” in Studio 19x to highlight everything known about the pandemic. Studio 19x in CNN’s Hudson Yards headquarters was designed to be re-purposed for town halls on important breaking news topics. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta mediated the televised two hour special event on Thursday, March 5th.
The two hosts mediated discussions from health experts and community members, as well as CNN correspondents across the globe. Guests were able to connect directly with those correspondents in studio via satellite video live feed onto LED screen surrounding the stage. They responded to questions on testing, confirmed cases, states of emergency, preventative measures, and legitimacy of data. The set’s technology can bring together correspondents and experts at this centralized Studio 19x location in New York City and connect them with viewer to give helpful and live saving information in real time.
The scenic design placed the hosts on a central, circular LED platform surrounded by audience seating. LED walls are positioned on an inner, oval-shaped track to define the content-rich yet closely scaled perimeter. Monitor stacks and rotating LED screens display the focused COVID-19 discussion topics with audience seating in the round to allow for participation in an intimate setting, especially highlighting the seriousness of this topic. Throughout the broadcast, the hosts moved from standing to seated high back chairs as more guests were added.
For clips and all the questions discussed in the town hall, check out CNN’s live updates on COVID-19.