Hearst’s WMUR debuts new set just in time for election

Hearst Television’s WMUR in Manchester, New Hampshire, has debuted a new set in time for the 2018 midterm election.

The move is perfectly timed for WMUR, an ABC affiliate, as the station is known for its deep political coverage, especially in presidential election cycles.

From Devlin Design Group, the scenic design mixes imagery and iconography of the region with a heavy emphasis on natural materials creating a flexible on-air canvas.

Stacked stone, common in the surrounding area, serves double duty on the set, both referencing the shape of New Hampshire rock formations and supporting multiple video walls with display technology from Primeview.

Behind the anchor desk is a 9×1 video array that mixes views of mountains with Hearst’s diagrid pattern. The desk placement allows for toss shots with the arrays, while a mobile pod desk with a similar look can also be used around the set.

Warm woods accent the space with downlights highlighting detail while color-changing graphics provide flexibility for each newscast.

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WMUR new studio

A wide view of the WMUR set design.

The header continues the natural theme with two panels of distressed metal featuring ‘etched’ mountain scapes above a backlit ring.

Along with a working weather area, the set includes a flexible interview space that can serve election season, accommodating a variety of interview formats from one-on-one to multi-person discussions.

WMUR new studio

From an election special to daily newscasts, the set has already seen multiple uses in just a few short days.