‘NewsNation’ prime goes more 3D, angled with updated graphics

Nexstar’s “NewsNation Prime” debuted a graphics updated earlier this year that shifts more toward an angled look that also uses a brighter palette and more 3D elements.

‘NewsNation’ look uses color and brackets to stand out, frame storytelling

The updated look still draws on the bracket and “stepped” box look the network debuted with, but elevates the angled hashmark accents in the original graphics package to a much more prominent role.

Angled elements are now found in most of the fullscreen animations as both background and transitional elements and match the tilt found in the lines of hashmarks in the original look. 

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The open is heavy on the angled elements and the announce now no longer mentions Chicago as the headquarters of the network. 

In a nod to the original stepped box look, the title screen features an angled element on the right side of the screen that features a “cutout” around the right side of the show logo, while the logo remains closer to the foreground of the one on the left.

In this ‘coming up’ animated wipe, the 3D angled teal hashmarks are particularly noticeable. The text is also rendered it 3D, as are the various angled segments in the background. 

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Text elements have gotten more of a 3D treatment in many of the animations. The angled hashmark rows remain, but these too now have a 3D look.

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In addition, the show has completely dropped the original dark blue and beige color palette in favor of bolder shades of blue, red and even some teal accents.

The basic layout and shape of the lower third inserts remain, but are now a gradient red with blurred elements for breaking news and white for normal L3s, though that look has been used in some form on the network for some time now.

In addition, the bug box rotates between an “[NN]” element in 3D with angled blue background and the word “[Prime]” set against the same backdrop.

“NewsNation Prime” is essentially what is left over of the original three hour primetime newscast titled simply “NewsNation” that debuted in September 2020 and was anchored by Marni Hughes, Joe Donlon and Rob Nelson. 

At the time, the newscast aired on WGN America, which was rebranded in March 2021 to “NewsNation,” with the newscast being renamed “NewsNation Prime.”

Donlon would eventually move off the newscast for his own, more opinion based show, while Nelson left the network entirely. Hughes now anchors solo for only a single hour, though the network has added more news and analysis programming across its schedule. The show was officially retitled as “NewsNation Prime with Marni Hughes.”

NewsNation is produced out of the studios of WGN in Chicago.