PBS will forgive you for thinking the people who watch public television’s genteel viewer-supported newscast, PBS NewsHour, don’t need shiny new sets, jazzy graphics and updated music to be lured back night after night. But they’re getting a new look–and sound–anyway. “This is indeed a new chapter in the NewsHour’s distinguished history,” said executive producer Sara Just.
Starting tonight, NewsHour will unveil a new set in a larger, more modern studio. “It was my belief that PBS NewsHour and its viewers deserved a look, a sound, and a space that were as bright, as strong, and with as much depth as their unmatched editorial content,” said Eric Siegel, who led development of the new look.
The changes come a year after Washington, DC PBS station WETA took over production of NewsHour. In a larger studio space, the new set features 90” and 65” monitors, a design that incorporates the iconic PBS logo, and graphics that feature “video ribbons providing movement throughout the program.”
The new music package includes a full 180 variations of the show’s theme. “The new music will enhance our broadcast with variation and tone to fit the wide range of stories the NewsHour covers, from the urgent and sober matters of our day, to the more lighthearted and thought provoking features,” said Just.