‘Nightly: Kids Edition’ shifts to main floor of Studio 1A for select newscasts

Select editions of “NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition” have been originating from the main part of Studio 1A.

It appears that, at least for the most part, the editions produced for airing Saturdays on the NBC broadcast network use the first floor of 1A, while the Thursday editions that are digital-only use the upstairs satellite production area.

“Nightly” launched the kids’ edition back in 2020 to help younger viewers understand the coronavirus pandemic and the show was produced, like most editions of “NBC Nightly News” from a remote studio set up in anchor Lester Holt’s New York City home. It then moved to the area originally labeled Studio 3C after “Nightly” itself returned to the studio.

After “Nightly” moved into Studio 1A on a permanent basis in September 2021, “Kids” eventually moved to the second floor of the windowed studio, using the corner featuring open shelving and simulated windows originally created for the show then known as “Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda.”

By shooting some editions downstairs, the broadcast gains the use of the 40-foot curved video wall that’s typically used for the evening newscasts’ top story and closing.

In this setup, however, Holt sits on a cushioned chair with metal frame flanked by two stump-like and a single gold circular side tables as well as a coffee table.

Decorative items are perched on these, including a model airplane, globe, old-fashioned microphone and camera and books. Behind him, a guitar, at least one of which has appeared on camera since the show launched from his home, is set up on the ledge under the video wall. 

It’s strategically positioned to be directly in front of a simulated faux white brick column fed to the video wall, a nod to the faux loft background the show originally used when being produced remotely.

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The rest of the graphic includes a blue background with the chalkboard version of the old “Nightly” open showcasing the facade of 30 Rockefeller Center accented with the hand-drawn stars, clouds and other icons that have been used in other on-set graphics.

Some additional decorative items are set up on the ledge, some of them atop glass cube display stands. 

Holt himself typically remains in the same position, but at least one recent segment featuring Dylan Dreyer was shot in front of the flat video wall camera left of the primary one that “Nightly” typically uses as an OTS element for its middle blocks and that’s also used on “Today” for weather segments.

This standup also showed that matching graphics have been created for the LED column and secondary panel that’s tucked behind the main wall.

Another segment, featuring a “Sesame Street” character was filmed with a large red table in front of Holt and the puppet, since the puppeteer needed a place to hide from view.

The Saturday editions of “Nightly” air on select NBC affiliates, though the time varies, and often include at least some of the same reports and segments from the digital version.