Nightcast in Studio 43

"Nightcast" began last night as usual: with a preview during the previous show's credits, then a 30-second commercial break. The open, which now has the new CBS 2 Information Network graphic, is now worded like this: "You're watching CBS 2, home of the CBS 2 Information Network. Live from the CBS 2 Information Center in New York, this is Nightcast." The open had called it "CBS 2 Nightcast" since late April. It now appears as if they've changed the title back to "Nightcast". This open is now different than the other new opens that premiered yesterday because it does not show the anchors in the second half (they kept the animation for the open).

Then Ernie Anastos and Angela Rae were at the plasma screens with the top story. Back at the news desk, they added an HDTV plasma screen on the right next to Ernie (possibly from Studio 59A or 59B). David Rogers previewed the weather standing by the large video wall (which shows nighttime scenes of the city). And after a story about PowerBall winners, Angela Rae said, "Well, we have hit the jackpot ourselves here at the CBS 2 Information Network. Look at us! We're in new digs!" Angela, Ernie, and David talked about the Information Center behind them, and welcomed viewers to their new home. Angela added, "And there's just more to come!"

Studio 43's First Day

All of the newscasts this evening at 4:00, 5:00, 5:30, and 6:00 used the new type of opening with the new CBS 2 Information Network animation and the anchors at the desk. At 4:08, a new CBS 2 First News at 4:00 anchor open was used: "You're watching CBS 2 First News at Four, with Dana Tyler, Ernie Anastos, Cindy Hsu, and Ira Joe Fisher's forecast." At 4:13 and 4:43, Cindy Hsu was standing by the plasma screens with the Information Network update. At 4:21, Dana Tyler and Ernie Anastos talked about the new studio, technology, and the people working in the Information Center behind them. Ira Joe Fisher added that they "have the best crew." At 4:38, Tony Tantillo had the "Top Four at 4" on the left side of the studio near the plasma screens (he used the table from The Saturday Early Show's temporary studio).

At 4:57, Angela Rae and Todd McDermott were at the plasma screens right after the top story and the open for CBS 2 News at 5:00. At 5:21, Todd, Angela, and David Rogers introduced the new studio and said that we're going to meet some of the Information Center volunteers later this week. And Angela added, "We're going to keep some of it [the changes] under the hat." Then at 5:22, the 5:00 anchor opening played but was modified so that the new CBS 2 Information Network graphic was in the beginning and the end.

At 5:58, CBS 2 News at 6:00 opened with the top story, the open, and the anchors at the desk (same as what happened today at Noon). Alexis Christoforous was in the Information Center with the CBS.MarketWatch.com report. Nightcast is coming up tonight at 11:00, and we'll have details on that tomorrow morning.

CBS 2 Names New Managing Editor and Executive Producer

A CBS 2 Press Release:

Richard Bamberger and Kristin Quillinan have been named Managing Editor and Executive Producer, WCBS-TV New York, respectively, it was announced today by Joel Cheatwood, Executive Vice President for News, Viacom Television Stations and WCBS-TV News Director. The appointment is effective Sept. 10, 2001.

“Rich and Kristin are both dynamic news managers whose track record speaks for itself,” said Cheatwood. “They are aggressive, innovative journalists who bring great passion to their work. We look forward to their arrivals.”

Bamberger, a native of New York City, most recently served as managing editor for WJBK-TV Detroit since 1997. He was responsible for managing the daily operations of the station’s newsroom with more than 110 employees and 6½ hours of news broadcasts per day. He and Kristen both were part of a team that transformed Fox 2 News into a top rated, award-winning news station.

Prior to his arrival at WJBK-TV, Bamberger was assignment manager for WFOR-TV Miami (1996-97) with responsibilities for the daily operations of the CBS owned station’s reporters and photographers.

Bamberger attended Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He was graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1992.

Quillinan joins WCBS-TV from WJBK-TV Detroit where she served as executive producer since 1997. In that role she oversaw the production of the station’s newscasts, setting new standards for quality in the Detroit market, which were emulated at other Fox owned television stations around the country. Quillinan was executive producer, WFOR-TV Miami (1996-97) prior to joining WJBK-TV.

Award-winning producer Quillinan began her career at WRGB-TV Albany in 1990. She served as an intern, assignment editor, associate producer and producer in her five years with the station.

Quillinan is a 1992 graduate of Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. with a bachelor’s degree in English. She is the recipient of Emmy and Associated Press Awards for Best Newscast (1998, 1999) and Best Business and Finance Report (1997). In addition, she was cited for her work by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (Best Station of the Year, 1999 and 2000; and Best Newscast, 1998, 1999 and 2000).

The couple was married in October 2000 and will be relocating to the New York City area.

Ernie Anastos Goes One-On-One with New York City Mayoral Candidates

A CBS 2 Press Release:

With the New York City Primary Election less than three weeks away, CBS 2 intensifies its coverage of the mayoral race with live interviews of candidates Herman Badillo, Mike Bloomberg, Terry Gray, Mark Green, Alan Hevesi, George Spitz and Peter Vallone on FIRST NEWS @ 4 beginning on Tuesday, Aug. 28 (4:00-5:00 PM, ET). Anchor Ernie Anastos hosts “Conversations with the Candidates” featuring the city’s top contenders in the hotly contested mayor’s race as they begin their final steps towards the end of the campaign trail.

Tuesday (28), Anastos talks to Conservative Party candidate Gray followed by Public Advocate Green on Wednesday, Aug. 29, Republican candidate Bloomberg on Thursday, Aug. 30 and Democrat Spitz on Friday, Aug. 31. The series continues on Tuesday, Sept. 4 featuring former Deputy Mayor Badillo and on Wednesday, Sept. 5 with City Council Speaker Vallone. Anastos’ interview with New York City Comptroller Hevesi concludes the series on Thursday, Sept. 6. FIRST NEWS @ 4 will not be broadcast on Monday, Sept. 3 and Friday, Sept. 7 due to U.S. Open Tennis Championships coverage.

“Conversations with the Candidates” will offer the participants equal time to discuss the issues most important to their campaigns and the five boroughs of New York. In addition, viewers will be able to submit questions for the candidates via the CBS 2 website.

FIRST NEWS @ 4 is broadcast weekdays (4:00-5:00 PM, ET) on WCBS-TV New York. Anastos and Dana Tyler anchor the station’s broadcast from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. Lucian Chalfen is CBS 2’s Assignment Manager of Planning and Investigations.

(Thanks to Brian for sending these press releases to me!)

CBS 2 News At Noon in Studio 43

Today CBS 2 News at Noon began with the top stories at 11:58, but the anchors weren't standing on the left of the desk this time. Then they had the open, with the CBS 2 Information Network logo and a sweeping shot of Michael Pomeranz and Cindy Hsu at the desk ("Live from the CBS 2 Information Center in New York, this is CBS 2 News at Noon"). Lou Young, standing by the plasma screens on the left, reported on a developing story in Iraq. At 12:08, there was a new CBS HealthWatch animation, and Cindy was standing by the screens. A minute later, Alexis Christoforous joined her and did the CBS.MarketWatch.com report from inside the studio (she usually reports from the CBS.MarketWatch.com Newsroom at noon). Then at 12:17, Dana Tyler had a preview of CBS 2 First News at 4:00 "live in the Information Center". Then they went to Todd McDermott in the CBS 2 Newsroom who previewed CBS 2 News at 5:00, including Marcia Kramer's exclusive interview with Senator Hillary Clinton. More snapshots coming later this week!

CBS 2 News This Morning in Studio 43

Today's the big day! CBS 2 News This Morning started in Studio 43 this morning at 5:00. Michael Pomeranz and Lisa Hill previewed the newscast on the left of the news desk near four monitors with the "CBS 2 Information Network" and the "CBS 2 News This Morning" logos. They also welcomed viewers to their new studio at the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan. The open of the show was changed, with a new Information Network animation. Then they showed Michael and Lisa walking over to the desk with the "CBS 2 News This Morning" logo on the bottom. The open went like this: "You're watching CBS 2, home of the CBS 2 Information Network... Live from the CBS 2 Information Center in New York, this is CBS 2 News This Morning." Here's a look at other changes that were made this morning:

Studio 43
This new studio, which we have been waiting for since May, finally came! It's a great studio with a news desk, an "Information Center" newsroom behind it, and an interview area. There are monitors and CBS 2 logos everywhere. Some monitors have views of New York City (nighttime scenes in the 5:00 hour, daytime views in the 6:00 hour). And the lighting creates "CBS 2 Information Network" and "CBS 2 Info Center" logos on the floor. Sweeping camera angles of the studio were shown often right before commercial breaks. And Janine D'Adamo mentioned that they now use a green chroma-key screen, instead of blue, so "I can wear blue now!"

CBS 2 Info Bar
Michael and Lisa introduced the "Info Bar" at 5:21. It's a black bar at the bottom of the screen (similar to the Sports Scoreboard) with news, weather, stocks, and sports. It's also where the current temperature is located (the "2" logo now has only the time above it). They said that it's an improvement of the CBS 2 Info Box, which used to appear on the bottom-left of the screen. It popped-up saying "INFOBOX: THIS SPACE FOR RENT".

Pet Pix and Wake-Up Call
After her weather report at 5:14, Janine D'Adamo introduced a new segment on CBS 2 News This Morning, "Pet Pix". As Brian reported earlier, CBS 2 will show viewers' digital pictures of their pets in the morning. This morning it was just some producers' pets used. And at 6:45, Janine did the "Wake-Up Call". CBS 2 News at Noon anchor Cindy Hsu was the person who was called this morning! Janine quizzed her to see how well she knew her co-anchors: Which anchor, Michael or Lisa, was a photographer before they anchored? Cindy correctly answered that it was Lisa. Janine also said that they may have contests and giveaways in the future.

Other important notes are that Susan McGinnis did the CBS MarketWatch report only once, at 5:44. This is probably because she had to go to Fifth Avenue to The Early Show's studio for her 7:20 report. The "Inside The Daily News" animation was changed to use the new Information Network graphic. There is also a new full screen for the morning newscast. The "Traffic And Weather on the 2's" animation was changed. And "Rock N Roll History", which was added to the newscast two months ago, has disappeared. Here are some snapshots, courtesy of Kevin:

A Preview of a Change?

Kevin tells me that last night, CBS 2 Weekend News at 11:00 used new graphics during the preview at the very beginning. You can see Kevin's snapshot below. The graphic behind the video on the left (seen on the top and bottom) was red, with the CBS eye logo. Kevin also points out that there are more lines on this graphic; more lines than usual. The preview of the 11:00 weekend news usually uses purple and yellow graphics, and on weekdays, Nightcast uses purple and blue graphics here. This could be a preview of new graphics debuting Monday, the same day CBS 2 News moves everything to Studio 43.

Studio 43 To Debut Monday Morning

Today at the end of this morning's 6:55 CBS MarketWatch report, Susan McGinnis mentioned that CBS 2 News This Morning will be broadcasting from the new studio (43) on Monday Morning. Lisa Hill said that they would have more information on the studio after the commercial break, but CBS 2 News This Morning didn't have an ending today. This was most likely due to time constraints. More information as we get it!

-Brian

Press Release: Kramer to Interview Senator Clinton

CBS 2 has issued a Press Release announcing Marcia Kramer's upcoming interview with New York Senator Hillary Clinton:

New York Senator Hillary Clinton, in her first in-depth television interview since her election to the Senate in November 2000, sat down recently with CBS 2 Chief Political/Investigative Reporter Marcia Kramer for an exclusive one-on-one interview in which the two discuss Clinton’s relationship with husband and former President Bill Clinton, the Mideast crisis and the role Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat plays in the situation and the state of New York City’s public school system and ways they must be improved.

In addition, Clinton also talks about the Democrat’s chances for a return to the White House in 2004 and the need for reform of the national election process.

Kramer, winner of numerous awards for reporting on the local, national and international level, including the prestigious Peabody Award, conducted the exclusive interview at Nation’s Café in New York City. Highlights of the interview will be featured during the station’s 5PM newscast beginning on Monday, Aug. 27 on WCBS-TV New York.

Kramer question’s the former First Lady on the differences between then and now, the dynamic between her and Bill now that she is an elected official and he is a civilian, the difficulties of working in an all-male environment, and what it’s like to work with an administration diametrically opposed to everything she stands for.

Part II of the interview, to be broadcast on Tuesday, Aug. 28 (5:00 PM, ET) focuses on Clinton’s views on the situation in the Mideast and whether Arafat has the will to stop the violence.

Kramer has been a reporter with WCBS since 1990 and is also the host of CBS 2’s public affairs political talk show SUNDAY EDITION.

-Brian

Studio 59B Used in the Evening

Studio 59B (CBS 2's morning and weekend studio) was used for CBS 2 News at Noon, First News @ 4:00, and CBS 2 News at 5:00 & 6:00 today. We believe this studio was used for the afternoon/evening newscasts because CBS Sports will be using CBS 2's main studio (59A) for tonight's broadcast of The NFL Today. Nightcast is expected to use Studio 59B as well, because tonight's football game is scheduled to end at 11:00pm.

-Brian