‘NewsNation Live’ debuts with new motif inspired by brackets, ‘L’

After moving off primetime as part of the network’s latest schedule shakeup, NewsNation anchor Marni Hughes is now helming an hour of news in the late morning.

Dubbed “NewsNation Live,” the new hour at 10 a.m. eastern follows an extended block of morning news that starts at 6 a.m. with “Early Morning,” followed by three hours of “Morning in America” from 7 to 10 a.m.

“Live” uses the network’s standard insert graphics package, which has been tweaked multiple times since its debut in 2020, with a distinct open and fullscreen graphics.

The broadcast continues to use the more 3D look that “Prime” and select NewsNation broadcasts have migrated to after originally debuting with a flatter look. 

In general, opens and bumps tend to skew more toward the 3D side, while inserts and other graphics are flatter, which can create a bit of a visual disconnect. 

New to “Live” is a puzzle-like background featuring L-shaped right-angled segments that appear to be both a nod to the network’s bracketed logo and the letter “L” in “live.”

The shape is arranged in both on a single plane as well as a step-like arrangement with subtle 3D shading.

Square brackets are a common theme in most NewsNation looks, including graphics packages and scenic elements and also appear prominently in its overall logo. 

Advertisement

The network also uses L-shaped accents similar in shape to the new background element in various parts of its look.

“NewsNation Live” retains the practice of using the bracketed look, with the word “Live” becoming dominant, similar to how “Prime” was in Hughes’ previous show. 

Hughes’ name appears under the show logo between the lower part of the brackets as it did on “Prime.”

The color palette skews more toward a bold bright blue with lighter blue accents blended with white. The show logo is rendered in a sharp 3D look that uses a significantly darker blue shade for the sides of its lettering.

“Live” is still anchored from the main NewsNation studio in Chicago, where the network is co-located with local station WGN. “Live” continues to showcase Chicago skylines on the on-set video walls and panels, along with matching updated graphics. 

Hughes is the only anchor left at the network following Nexstar’s purchase of Tribune’s broadcasting assets in 2019 and launch of a three-hour primetime newscast then known as simply “NewsNation” that aired on what was then called WGN America.

Nexstar eventually renamed the entire network “NewsNation,” with the newscast gaining the word “Prime.” Over time, Hughes’ co-anchors, Rob Nelson and Joe Donlon, both left the newscast and network, as did chief meteorologist Albert Ramon. 

“NewsNation Prime” was also cut back to two and then one hour, with the most recent version airing at 8 p.m. eastern. It was effectively canceled and replaced with “Cuomo” Oct. 3, 2022, with the network moving Hughes to mornings to launch “Live.”