Viewers of Amarillo ABC affiliate KVII will see a new look, signaling larger changes at the station, starting tonight at 5:o0 p.m.
The station is changing its name to “ABC 7 News, but will keep its old slogan of “The Panhandle Spirit.” With the name change, comes a complete overhaul of the station.
KVII says in the last year it has more than doubled the number of journalists working there and has upgraded its resources. One upgrade is a new weather forecasting system with Live MAX Radar and SchoolNET, which will provide live updates for nearly 200 spots around the market.
“This has been a long 6 months working out in the garage,” said General Manager Thom Pritz. “What people don’t know is the extent of our upgrade.
“This is not just a new set. Everything is new: New production board, new master control, new cameras, new lighting.
“I am so proud of our team here at ABC 7. Everyone has worked long and hard to make this happen. We hope everyone enjoys our new look.”
Now that the cosmetic and technical parts of the upgrade are complete, crews will now focus on completing a brand new, advanced news center where the staff will work when not on air. Renovations are set to be complete in the coming months.
A new, state-of-the-art live truck will also be delivered later this month. It’s set to be the display model at the National Association of Broadcasters Show next week in Las Vegas.
“All in all, we are extremely excited to launch today and let our audience know what we’ve been working on for them,” [news director Ryan] Hazelwood said. “The staff here at ABC 7 has been tremendous while working double duty these last few months – a huge thanks to each of them and their families.”