‘CBS Mornings’ debuts from Times Square studio with fresh new look

Meanwhile, the network retained its “EyeOpener” segment but, at least on Sept. 7, dropped its normal teases and headlines, instead opening the show with a simple, bright, yellow-orange graphic and the “Sunday Morning” fanfare signature before cutting to the studio.

“EyeOpener,” meanwhile, used updated music with the CBS News signature throughout, mainly as a sort of transition element between topics when quick video clips were strung together to match the beat of the notes.

In some ways, the “EyeOpener” appears to be doing double duty as both teaser and news summary. It also got new overlay topical graphics.

The rest of the show also received a graphics update, using the flatter look that’s been slowly making its way across CBS News productions, including “CBS Weekend News” and, most recently, “CBS News Flash.”

The design incorporates elements of the “deconstructed” CBS eye as both motion and accent elements that the network as a whole uses, as well as the short animation that’s been used on topical special report opens and also appears, albeit with a different graphical motif, on “CBS Evening News.” 

While “Mornings” does stick to the flatter look, there are some glassy elements used on both on-set and in the fullscreen graphics. The 8 a.m. “EyeOpener” has a distinct look with titles in the lower right set atop light bursts, which is a bit of a departure from the more geometric looks found elsewhere in the show.

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This version of the segment also featured blurred versions of the headline text overlaid in light outline and solid versions.

Sept. 7 also featured a distinct 8 a.m. open featuring each of the three anchors doing “walk and talk” style teases in various parts of the studio before meeting in front of the main anchor desk to kick off the hour. 

The show used wide shots to showcase multiple video walls and video ribbons with bold, dramatic animated effects that spread across all of them, including transitions. These looks incorporate the orange-yellow along with white and, interestingly, black backgrounds and shapes.

Video walls are also used to showcase set extensions of virtual windows with NYC skylines, faux brick, and decorative elements, which can be triggered to transition to a topical graphic or toss to a live shot.

“CBS Mornings” also switched to new insert graphics. Often, the show name is parked in the lower left corner, but then can shrink and move upward to become the top tier of the black and white lower thirds, which, by default, include the yellow vertical bar on the left, but can also be colorized—red for breaking news, for example.

Graphics also draw on shapes from the CBS eye, hashmarks, dots and circles and various iterations of the sun logo shape. 

The CBS eye remains in the lower left corner as a translucent bug in a rather small size that matches the size of the white version when the show name is shown full size on that area of the screen.

Set Design

CBS Mornings

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There’s also a redesigned ticker bar that features the time and temperature, typically inserted locally, on the left along with space for the local station’s website as well as weather or news headlines.

Despite the show’s prime real estate, it does not appear the studio area has any walls with direct access to the floor to ceiling windows overlooking Times Square, instead large “CBS News” banners are mounted behind the glass facing the exterior.

CBS opted to cover the windows during 2020 election coverage as well. 

Project Credits

For CBS:
Creative Director – Renee Cullen
Art Directors – Gabriel Almanzar, Kate Cheshire
3D Graphic Artists – Matt Guild, Sungkyu Koo
Graphics Development – Tim Hunter, Anthony King

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Design – Jack Morton Worldwide
Production Designer – Jim Fenhagen
Production Designer – Larry Hartman
Project Manager – Meredith Sonnen
Art Director – Alison Zullo
Illustration – Jennilee Aromando and Chris Maroney
Graphic Design – Raeford Dwyer

Fabrication – Showman Fabricators

Lighting Design – Lonnie Juli of CBS News
Lighting Programmer – Jonathan Juli

AV – Video Visions
LED – Planar