WTVJ Getting New Set Amid NBC Reinvestment in Local Stations

Yes, it took Comcast buying NBC for WTVJ to get a new set (among other things) but it is finally happening. NBC announced today they’re reinvesting in the 10 owned stations by adding more people, news and equipment,  but also that stations in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Miami NBC will be getting new sets.

WTVJ’s set has been in use, fairly unchanged, since the station moved into its present studio in the year 2000! The group is also buying 15 new live trucks, fixing up 14 others and buying 20 cameras and other eqipment

Valari Staab, NBC Owned Local Television Stations President , told TVNewsCheck she’s also giving more autonomy to management at the local stations! Local NBC staffers often expressed frustration that under previous NBC boss Jeff Zucker, NBC affiliates were pretty much run by the suits in New York City making local general managers be more about passing orders than managing.

The culture that I am trying to create now is that the general manager and the department heads run their stations and we’re here to help

Staab also said she decided WNBC and KNBC will have their news helicopters reinstated, while the general managers of the other 8 NBC-owned stations will get to decide whether they want to continue the existing helicopter sharing agreements with competitors from across town or bring back the news choppers inhouse.

In Miami, WPLG’s SKY 10 was initially shared between WFOR and WPLG, but WTVJ joined them in the news chopper sharing agreement earlier this year.

Staab also reinstated the local promotions departments at all stations

NBC Press release: NBC Universal Makes Major Investment in NBC Owned TV Stations