Now that it's been a full work week since CBS 2 launched the new graphics package, it's time to look back on some notes:
1. This is the first time the newest addition to Manhattan's skyline, One World Trade Center, has appeared in CBS 2 News opens (in the morning, at 6:00 and at 11:00). Its predecessors, the Twin Towers, had been featured in some opens prior to 9/11 (though not the opens used immediately prior).
2. This past Tuesday was
National Punctuation Day but don't tell that to CBS 2. Their new lower-third banners appear unable to display apostrophes. In these snapshots taken today, the apostrophe in "McDonald's" was omitted at noon while places where an apostrophe should have existed showed up as a blank space this evening: [9/28 Update: It appears that this issue has been resolved as of this morning.]
3. The lower-thirds place the @CBSNewYork Twitter handle (or @CBSThisMorning in the morning) beneath the anchors' and reporters' names. It would seem to make more sense to put that person's own Twitter name in that spot, especially as the station's Twitter account is already being promoted on the bug.
4. As there is no shadow behind the website, Facebook and Twitter section of the logo bug, the white text becomes unreadable whenever it appears over white.
5. The split screens appear to be designed for widescreen use but the camera shots are only sometimes framed correctly for 4:3 screens. In the below GIF, the Mary Calvi/Weijia Jiang screen is framed correctly, though it appears weird for viewers watching in high definition as neither talent is centered in the box. The second snapshot shows two anchors in both boxes and they will get cut off on some standard definition television sets. (The black overlays show the "safe area.") Many channels on both cable and broadcast now take advantage of the entire 16:9 widescreen space and letterbox their broadcasts for SD viewers.
6. The previous logo still appears on the Mobile Weather Lab, which is seen in promos as well as in an ad on the bottom of the screen during some weather forecasts.
7. The logo has also yet to be replaced on cbsnewyork.com, which would seem to be simpler than replacing it on a vehicle and redoing promos. In addition, the Facebook page continues to use some weird do-it-yourself version of the previous logo.
8. Sister station WLNY has yet to see the new graphics for the most part. The lower-thirds did receive a slight update, changing the color from a semitransparent black to blue on the two-line banners. They are also now using the new "live" bug CBS 2 is using. (And the 2012 copyright is used, at least Tuesday night when the below snapshot was taken.)
Regarding the music: The old theme is still used in teases for the noon and 5:00 newscasts during the day. CBS 2 News This Morning reverted to the previous morning theme Tuesday morning (though the open still uses the new theme).
