NewsNation-new national news channel

In addition to their new set pictures. Nextstar plans to drop ABC News affiliation and use their own in house national news operation NewsNation as the audio component for WGN Radio in the Greater Chicagoland Region. Makes sense to use NewsNation as the branded news provider, even just from a marketing perspective.

From media reporter Robert Feder:

It'll have to be good enough to replace the high quality ABC News content Nexstar currently use on their local stations.

I take it Nexstar can still use ABC News content on their ABC affiliates as part of the franchise contract?

This only affects ABC News Radio. And regarding radio, I believe Nexstar only owns WGN Radio, its by far the largest, if not their only radio asset. Their tv and radio affiliation deals are completely separate. Nextstar is the largest station group owner so Im certain ABC doesnt want to screw around with that. According their own map, its shows 32 of their stations are affiliated with ABC. FYI WGN-TV Chicago is independent and not affiliated with any network.

Slightly off topic but yesterday Nexstar exercised its option to repurchase WPIX in New York from Scripps, which was holding it pending regulatory approval. Since the federal government and FCC are AWOL, it looks like Nexstar got away with letting a holding company it controls own WPIX.

I imagine WPIX's staff will be useful as an NYC base for NewsNation.

It also seems as though Nextstar will require all their stations that are reporting for the NewsNation broadcast are to swap out their local mic flags to a branded NewsNation mic flag. I wonder if they mandated a reporter sign off..... "I'm Lisa Polster News4Buffalo for NewsNation". Or will they strip out the local station branding? I'd imagine they want to keep their local stations on side so maybe it will be the station call letters and city. So it might be a something like "In Niagara Falls, NY, I'm Lisa Polster; WIVB Buffalo for NewsNation". Bit of a mouthful though.

5,500 local journalists will help make News Nation one of the most powerful news operations to bring you stories from across the nation. #News4Buffalo is one of 110 local newsrooms we have! https://t.co/WV7ADANtKF

— NewsNation (@NewsNation) July 15, 2020

So the lighting tests are done and the sets were cleaned now 1 month of rehearsals and mock newscasts begin.

I've never seen a news set like this in my life. Those 6 panels are monitors which can turn and also be combined to form one big format monitor. This is really amazing! @wgnamerica pic.twitter.com/b6sMPThRF0

— Gerard Jebaily ☈🌪 (@GerardJebaily) July 17, 2020

The upstairs news room set and interview area looks great. And the texture lighting on the floor looks great. Thankfully Nextstar spent the extra money to have it lit nicely. No sense in spending loads of money on a great set just to have an amatuer/in-house team blast in white cold light.


Long curved video wall in the newsroom set behind the digital news desk. Amazing overhead shot of the Chicago Loop/River with the Sears Tower featured. Touchscreen off to the right.


This is the digital desk. This will be used when breaking news happens and they are not using the large main studio downstairs. Additionally it was noted that the position at the desk that is directly behind the photographer, allows for full control. That touchscreen at the desk allows the user to fully operate the digital (online) broadcast at any time. So they can go live in minutes. So it can control the lights, the cameras, on screen graphics, videos, live shots...they say virtually anything needed to broadcast live all controlled by one person. That will be interesting.

Another view of the digital desk. The control position is at the back of the desk on the left. You can see the white touchscreen poking up.

What's with the basketball court pattern on the floor?

It looks a horrible cluttered mess.

Yes, I'm not convinced at all.

I quite like the look of it.

Video tour of the new NewsNation newsroom as the staff move in. Loving those huge widescreen monitors. That looks brill and keeps the desk clutter to minimum.

Today is move-in day for the incredible News Nation newsroom! 👀 We're giving you a first look inside.

Watch the full tour: https://t.co/4S7ZNQypTG pic.twitter.com/VVlrhFyBYe

— NewsNation (@NewsNation) July 23, 2020

The theme music for NewsNation - Listen to snips from news theme composer Stephen Arnold
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDC9GWzDqsu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link