Fox Weather debuts from the ‘dome’ with unique take on WX maps

Fox Weather‘s video stream took to the digital airwaves Oct. 25, 2021 from the newly renamed Studio W inside of Fox’s New York headquarters along with graphics inspired by its sister network’s look and a cleaner approach to weather maps.

Previously known as Studio H (“W” stands for “weather,” of course) and home to the Fox News Deck, the studio was completely redone for the streaming network’s launch by Jack Morton Worldwide.

The network is streaming exclusively via iOS and Android apps as well as online at FoxWeather.com. So far, it’s not available on linear cable or satellite providers, smart TV or streaming stick apps. 

Home base of the Fox Weather set is situated under what’s known as the “sky dome,” an area that features a traditional anchor desk setup along with curved internally lit “arms” on either side of a Planar CarbonLight 1.5mm pixel pitch LED display that integrates precisely along with the elements.

Additional similar arms reach up above the screen, which allows backlit polygonal elements to show through, mimicking the idea of a glass done with metal supports.

The result is, instead of a traditional rectangle, a flared shape with internal lit overlays. 

The default video wall background on the screen emphasizes the dome concept with animated glassy curved elements in front of a cityscape view along with an animated branded band. These virtual glass mullions have become a go-to for Fox, with the organization’s new Washington facility also using them in video walls. 

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Home base with glassy curved mullions on the video wall aligned with the scenic ‘arms’ above and to the side. There is also a simulated frost band that scrolls, ticker style, behind the forecasters. 

The anchor desk itself is a tilted polygon fronted with a frosted glass panel with a darker frost rendition of beams of light inspired by the Fox searchlight element, which is absent from the Fox Weather logo.

Camera right of the dome area is two seamless video walls that allow two meteorologists to “tag-team” a segment, with one delivering a forecast in front of one video wall before walking over to the center of the installation, which features a white dimension Fox Weather logo and handing things off to the next forecaster, who takes over on the other video wall, all of which were manufactured by Planar.

Vertical LED “windows” inset into the wall are featured in this area as well with cityscape imagery that can be changed to match the time of day and type of weather being discussed. 

There’s also a curved, almost freestanding LED wall placed in one corner of the space. 

Unlike the two other video walls, this one is much wider than the typical aspect ratio of the network’s map graphics, so maps have to be centered on the screen and then flanked with branded graphics. 

Next to this is “Weather Command,” a multi-person in-studio work area where producers and graphics teams work to create all the images that show up on air. This area also has a presentation pod outfitted with computer screens for breaking weather updates.

Between command and the main anchor area is another series of vertical LED “windows.”

The space’s lighting design was handled in-house by Chris Bazzoni with The Lighting Design Group redesigning the studio’s lighting system, including new lighting control, rigging and data/power distribution in the space. 

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The 360-degree studio is shot with Ikegami cameras using Vinten studio robotics and Autoscript teleprompters. There are also several PTZ cameras scattered throughout the studio installed in the upper areas of the set, to capture dynamic cross and interaction shots. 

In addition to Studio W, Fox Weather also makes use of a small set originally designed for Fox Nation, designated Studio K. This space also includes a traditional chroma key wall as an option for delivering weather, unlike the primary studio. 

Studio W, K and Fox News’ Studio J are all on the 14th floor of the News Corp. building in New York.