CHICAGO, IL
2020
Unlike any starting point we’ve seen before, the WGNA Newsroom started as a 12,000 square foot attic space was mostly being used for equipment storage. It didn’t have any of the infrastructure necessary for a functional office, much less a broadcast environment. The challenge was to create a functional, beautiful environment aesthetically aligned with the studio, while also enabling national news coverage supported by News Nation’s six dedicated geographic teams across the country.
The newsroom desk is specifically designed for social media hits. With an impressive amount of tech integrated into the unit, each talent position is able to have its own mini-broadcast setup complete with a webcam, microphone, and dashboard. Also equipped with a soft seating area for informal interviews and multiple flexible pivoting/tracking AV elements, the newsroom lends itself to a multitude of functionalities and broadcast capabilities.
The layout of the newsroom was informed by the need for six “zone editors” to coordinate with the broader editorial team. Since the newsroom features a 2,000 square foot open broadcast area, the newsroom is seen as a background in a variety of shots. Paying attention to detail with branding for the zone editor bays, as well as custom light channel monitor wraps that mimic the bracketed News Nation logo around several bays of competition monitors. Finally, we introduced limestone, wood, blue, and metallic finishes throughout the space to align with the material finishes in the studio environment.