By Jennifer Pallanich, TVNewsCheck
Video walls continue to dominate studio design trends in the U.S. with ever-broader use framed by the “warmth” of natural materials and local personality. Abroad, newsrooms have been more embracing of the virtual reality sets of which domestic broadcasters are still wary. Above, FX Design Group designed and installed the KHON Honolulu set, which features large video walls.
American news studios are increasingly seeking out modern designs with video walls and warmer elements while overseas counterparts are selecting more virtual elements.
In the U.S., designs continue to revolve around video walls to enable the trend toward more video and graphics while also incorporating “personal expression” and “warm and inviting” elements. With ongoing improvements in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology, both are seeing use in the U.S. for weather and sports, although news is slower to follow. VR is finding more acceptance with European and Asian viewers, so sets in those regions reflect that trend.
In-home setups are staying in place to serve as an option as the pandemic continues, although broadcasters have returned to their studios as much as possible. At the same time, corporate set design is a major growth area for studio designers, and these sets are making it possible for C-suite executives to make broadcast-quality appearances on television without having to travel to the station.
[…]