The New York Post On Studio 43

Michael Starr of The New York Post has this in today's paper:

CH. 2 has moved the last of its newscasts out of the fancy new studio near the Plaza Hotel - and back to its old studio on West 57th Street. Ch. 2 unveiled its spanking-new studios yesterday at the CBS Broadcast Center (between 10th and 11th). With the move back to its traditional home studio, Ch. 2 staffers no longer have to board a shuttle bus and schlepp across town to "The Early Show" studios on 5th and 59th - as they'd been doing since 1999.

This allows us to be here for every show, where we couldn't do that under the previous setup," said Ch. 2 GM Tony Petitti. "In the old configuration, a lot of people started [their day] here and went to [the 55th St. studio] during the day," Petitti said. "But most anchors went straight to 55th Street." Earlier this summer, Ch. 2 moved its early-morning and noon newscasts back to the Broadcast Center - and it was expected that the 4, 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts would follow suit when the new facility was completed.

Petitti said that, contrary to rumors, Ch. 2 will not be dropping its "CBS2 Information Network" tag nor its 4 p.m. newscast, which now follows "Crossing Over with John Edward." "We have no plans to change that format," he said. "We bought a lot of syndicated programming . . . and we're going to see what works and how it configures." In addition to "Crossing Over," Ch. 2 will be airing syndicated version of "Weakest Link" (beginning in January) and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" next fall. It's also purchased "Dr. Phil," also scheduled to kick off next fall.

A few incorrect comments in the article: There is/was no CBS 2 studio on 55th Street. Most newscasts moved to the 59th Street studio on January 17, 2000 (News 2 at Noon moved a month earlier). And all the newscasts moved to the new studio yesterday; CBS 2 News This Morning and At Noon did not move earlier.
(Thanks to Brian for sending me this article!)

History Channel Joins The CBS 2 Information Network

Last night on CBS 2 Nightcast, Ernie Anastos mentioned that the History Channel is the newest partner in the CBS 2 Information Partner. Anastos went on to mention that Nightcast will air the segment "This Week in History" every week. The segment was reported by a History Channel reporter, and it used History Channel graphics. It opened with the CBS 2 Reports animation with the History Channel logo below it.

-Brian

A New Partner: The History Channel?

Last night during CBS 2 Nightcast, there was a commercial advertising for a special History Channel report entitled "This Week in History," which will be broadcast this Friday, August 17, on Nightcast. It appears as if the History Channel might become a partner in the CBS 2 Information Network. The History Channel is not yet featured as one of the Information Network partners on CBSNEWYORK.com, and it is not in the opening graphics, but it could be added soon if it becomes a partner. Stay Tuned!

-Brian

New Promos and a New Partner

Today CBS 2 started airing a new 30-second promo with Ernie Anastos explaining the CBS 2 Information Network. In it he moves around the partners' logos with his hands and says, "A lot of people have asked me, 'What is this CBS 2 Information Network?' Let me show you. Of course, it all starts with local news. Then, we add out partners. 10 separate newsrooms, all reporting on the stories they know best. Financial news. Health news. Music. Entertainment. You name it. It means that, now, New York's most informed sources come together in every CBS 2 newscast. See what's new in local news on the CBS 2 Information Network." One of the parters in the promo is New York Magazine, which appears to have recently joined the CBS 2 Information Network. There's another promo advertising a "Summer Fun" segment Friday on CBS 2 First News at 4:00 and CBS 2 Nightcast at 11:00, in partnership with New York Magazine.

There are at least three more new 5-second promos that began airing at the end of last week. In one, Ernie Anastos says, "See what's new in local news on the CBS 2 Information Network." Under his name it says "4, 5, & 11" when Ernie does the 4:00, 6:00, and 11:00 newscasts (not the 5:00). In another, Angela Rae says, "The CBS 2 Information Network. Nobody has our sources". And, Dana Tyler says, "Local news is just the beginning on the CBS 2 Information Network."

CBS 2's Website Gets New Look

CBS 2's website, cbsnewyork.com, just got a new look! It now looks much nicer and is easier to navigate. The new site also brings the resources of the CBS 2 Information Network together on the main page. The last time the website got a new look was September 15th.

News You Can Use

Today on "The News at 5:00", CBS 2 premiered a new segment. It's called "News You Can Use", and it's with US News & World Report, a partner in the CBS 2 Information Network. Same music and similar animation as "CBS 2 Reports".

Changes to "The News This Morning"

This morning at around 6:50, CBS 2 aired a "Blockbuster Entertainment Report". I find this a bit strange since Hollywood.com is a partner in the CBS 2 Information Network, and CBS 2 has Hollywood.com Entertainment Reports in other newscasts.

Another change was a CBS 2 Information Network news update. During a report ("A Morry Story") at 6:55am, CBS 2 had a graphic on the bottom of the screen changing between a few stories. On the bottom-left, in the shape of the "Info Box", the partners' logos appeared. The four partners that provided news headlines this morning in that graphic were CBS MarketWatch, CBS HealthWatch, The Daily News, and CourtTV.

CBS 2's Big Day!

This morning at 5:00am was Lisa Hill's first "official" newscast. The original plan was for her to start doing the mornings today, but because of the huge snow storm over the weekend, she co-anchored many special Storm Watch reports.




Cindy Hsu is now the noon anchor once again with Michael Pomeranz.

Also today, CBS 2 began airing new promos with Ernie Anastos. Three 30-second promos where he talks about his memories at CBS 2, another where he explains the CBS 2 Information Network, and one about being an anchor back at CBS 2. There's also two 5-second promos, one about The News at 6:00 with Dana Tyler and Ernie Anastos, and other about "Nightcast" at 11:00 with Angela Rae and Ernie Anastos. And earlier today, CBS 2 had this press release about Ernie Anastos's career, and a quote from one of his new commercials.

TLC Joins The CBS 2 Information Network

WCBS-TV New York and cable television’s TLC have reached an agreement to collaborate on programming content for the CBS 2 Information Network, it was announced today by Joel Cheatwood, Executive Vice President of News, CBS O&O’s and WCBS-TV News Director. The new partnership will launch this month on CBS 2.

The agreement provides for the CBS 2 Information Network to televise reports based on upcoming specials and series from the cable network that are relevant to viewers in the tri-state communities. TLC’s long-format, in-depth segments will be televised on the station’s 11PM newscasts.

For more information, click here.

US News Joins The CBS 2 Information Network

Today on The News at 6:00, Stephen Clark said that US News & World Report has become a new CBS 2 Information Network partner. This evening, US News and CBS 2 did a CBS 2 Reports together. The logo linking to the USnews.com website is now on the CBS 2 page on the cbsnewyork.com website.

The News at 11:00 and at Noon

Last night on "The News at 11:00", the "CBS 2 Reports" animation had different music, sounded like the Breaking News music. "The News at Noon" began today at Noon (it was not on yesterday because of the parade).

Evening News Update

Today on "New York Live", the opening was different than the other openings. It looked similar to some of the promos for the show, which started airing on Thursday. After the open, Todd McDermott had a preview of the news, and Ira Joe Fisher had a preview of the weather. After, Dana Tyler and Stephen Clark had a much longer chat than usual, and it appears to be part of the new 4:00 format. Todd McDermott had the news headlines three times (around 4:05, then at 4:31, and at 4:45). Traffic with Heather O'Rourke was twice, at the usual 4:32 and 4:55. Robyn Carter had the "CBS 2 Hollywood.com Entertainment Report" after Ira's weather (the CBS 2 Information Network animation came before the Hollywood.com animation).

At 4:39, a few minutes later than it used to be, "Tomorrow's Daily News Today in New York" segment (the CBS 2 Information Network animation also came before the Daily News animation). The music for the show is the same as used in the commercials, and the graphics are the same, except for the "New York Live!" logo on the left.

On "The News at 5:00", Todd McDermott did a report about the CBS 2 Information Network (same report as the one shown this morning) and there was a "The News at 5:30" opening also. On "The News at 6:00", Michael Pomeranz filled in for Stephen Clark, although Stephen was there for "New York Live!"

"The News This Morning"

This morning at 5am, NEWS 2 officially changed to the CBS 2 Information Network. No changes in the graphics or music in the morning, but the show is called "The News This Morning (on CBS 2)". The opening is different, but still similar. It's very similar to the "top stories" open News 2 used when they changed in April, and lasted only for a few months. At the beginning of all four morning opens, they showed all of their partners, and said, "You're watching the CBS 2 Information Network." Then after that, the opening goes, "Now, live from Fifth Avenue, this is The News This Morning." They have a different bottom and top of the screen and the logo says "CBS 2 This Morning".

Other changes to note:
-The animation between top stories is the same, but a different sound is used.
-The "Traffic and Weather" animation is mostly the same, just slightly different. It has the CBS 2 logo instead, and the words are animated a bit differently.
-The split-screen now has "CBS" written all over the bottom instead of "NEWS".
-The same animation before the opening was also used before the "Inside The Daily News" segment.
-There is a new "Top Stories" open for around 5:45 and 6:45. Similar to the old one, but different words and says CBS 2 instead of NEWS 2. -Todd McDermott did a report about the CBS 2 Information Network.
-There is now a new 30-second commercial advertising the CBS 2 Information Network, with all of the sources, and telling what it is all about.
COMING SOON: Pictures of the new CBS 2 Information Network!

WCBS-TV Launches the CBS 2 Information Network

In an unprecedented move in local television, WCBS-TV New York will be among the most complete and comprehensive sources of information available to viewers in the tri-state area with the launch of the CBS 2 Information Network, on Monday, October 30th, it was announced by Joel Cheatwood WCBS-TV News Director.

The CBS 2 Information Network, is the culmination of agreements with specialized television, print and online media companies to share news resources and content on WCBS-TV’s newscasts, providing viewers with a broad range of timely and relevant information in one place. Among the partners that will complement the station’s daily, local coverage are: VH1 News, Court TV, CBS Healthwatch, CBS Marketwatch, CBS News, CNN, Hollywood.com, Office.com, and The New York Daily News.

To read more go to the cbsnewyork.com Press Release.

CBS 2 Update

This afternoon at 4:00, the animated monitor in the Metro Traffic Center, which used to alternate between "NEWS 2" and "TRAFFIC", now has "CBS 2" and "TRAFFIC". Also at during News 2 at 4:00, Dana Tyler, Stephen Clark, Ira Joe Fisher, and Todd McDermott talked for around a minute about the "CBS 2 Information Network" and "New York Live!", both are starting Monday. They said Todd McDermott will do the news for the show.

CBS 2 Information Network

The New York Daily News reports that CBS 2 will launch a television and radio ad campaign calling themselves the "CBS 2 Information Network". It will promote new partnerships with Court TV, VH1, CBS MarketWatch, the Daily News and Hollywood.com. The Daily News also reports that Ernie Anastos returns on January 1st. Because this campaign will start on Monday, it is very possible the change to "CBS 2 News" will also be made on Monday.