Station Revamp Modernizes Newsroom for Live Broadcast
Nexstar Media Group’s WREG broadcast studio in Memphis, Tennessee, wanted to revitalize its current space with the intention of being more accessible and better-suited for live camera shots. REES redesigned and retrofitted 18,500-square-feet of the station’s two floors and collaborated with set designers to integrate station branding throughout the newly renovated newsroom.
Location
Memphis, Tennessee
Project Size
18,500 square feet
Designed To Offer Anchors
Live stand up locations from anywhere in the newsroom
Special Feature
Studio-grade lighting throughout entire facility
Updated Control Rooms
The upgrade transformed several unused, “back-of-house” spaces into lively work areas serving dual roles as a newsroom and backdrop for live stand-up shots. Added to the converted space was an engineering lab and audio control room, both of which are finished with acoustical ceiling tiles and wall coverings for soundproofing. They are outfitted with custom millwork consoles to accommodate specialized sound and broadcast equipment. The control rooms each sit on elevated platforms to provide unobstructed views into the broadcast studio.
Newsroom doubles as live backdrop
An enclosed, unused workroom was opened and reconfigured into the director’s and producers’ newsroom and assignment desk. A stand-up desk fashioned with the station’s branded colors strategically sits in the middle of the space functioning as an added platform for live broadcast shots. Graphic artwork along the newsroom wall melds the station’s logo with Memphis’ iconic Hernando de Soto Bridge. This area serves as an additional option for live shots. New floor-to-ceiling glass walls separating the newsroom and conference rooms help make the space feel open and less confined. The expanded visibility also offers clear exterior views of the Mississippi River just beyond the station’s property.
Studio-Grade Lighting Throughout
Studio-grade lighting levels are incorporated throughout the station including in the newly renovated green room, breakroom, makeup / dressing rooms and photography lounge. With so many points within the newsroom serving as backdrops for live shots, station managers wanted lighting throughout the station to mimic the warm levels of studio-grade lighting used in the broadcast studio.