Networks take different approaches in Uvalde shooting coverage

The shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, dominated network morning and evening newscasts on May 25, 2022, the day after what would turn out to be the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.

NBC News‘ “Today” reworked its entire tease headlines segment, devoting all of it to the story and using a somber music bed and customized announce.

This look used a red, white and blue color scheme, perhaps as a nod to the colors of both the U.S. and Texas flag. The animated open was modified to showcase a “Texas School Shooting” logotype placed inside of offset rectangles, a thick line and small version of the “Today” sunrise icon, a look that’s been used previously for major story coverage.

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As the day went on, NBC’s cable news channel MSNBC switched to “Mass Shooting at Robb Elementary” using a gritty black, white and red look that combined photos from the scene along with textural rectangles, bars and other accents. 

It was eventually adapted into video wall graphics that appeared behind “MSNBC Reports” segments, with a layout of victims showcased on Studio 3A’s floor-to-ceiling video wall with curved LED segment that continued the textural, gritty black and white color scheme with red accents.

“NBC Nightly News,” meanwhile, used a cold open that was devoted entirely to the story along with alternate music. The traditional “Mission” fanfare was not used, though the animated sequence was used, along with the “Shooting” graphic in the lower left.

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The “Nightly” logo appeared briefly with a gradient bar with “Uvalde” added below in the lower left.

Viewers in select markets also got an hour-long version of the broadcast, with Lester Holt in the city.

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“Nightly” continued to use the same look as MSNBC, with the added element of more prominent 3D shards of glass blended in. These elements appeared prominently in the top-of-the-broadcast package to help summarize the timeline of events in the tragedy.