Charleston station debuts new set inspired by sister station

WCSC in Charleston, South Carolina, has moved onto a new multivenue set from Broadcast Design International that leverages technology and a strategic layout to create dynamic storytelling and interaction options.

The set was inspired by BDI’s work for fellow Gray station WANF in Atlanta, Georgia, which recently rebranded as “Atlanta News First.”

WCSC has retained its longtime “Live 5 News” branding but now broadcasts from a smaller, pod-style anchor desk similar to the one at WANF, that’s situated in front of the primary video wall array

While the LED is not seamless and is used at a bit smaller scale at WCSC, it still gives the station opportunities to showcase local scenery and landmarks behind anchors. AV integration for the project was handled by Greenville Media.

Behind the 6×3 slightly curved video wall is a wraparound wall with strong horizontal banding that has been carefully lit by Nicholas Hutak of Block, Light, Shoot to allow splashes of color to accent the texture in the wall covering.

Anchors typically stand, even at the desk, as well as the two flexible standup areas.

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One of these, camera left of the anchor desk, features a trio of 65-inch vertically mounted panels that can be used to display one to three different graphics — either branded or topical — behind the anchor.

It’s also easy to see how these could be used for tosses to live shots, showcasing team coverage or being used one-by-one to reveal various key points of a story.

Behind the space is a wall segment created from a mix of light wood tones and off-white horizontal stacked elements, with a color-changing backlit panel installed slightly in front of this, supported by metal poles in some places.

The horizontal banding motif is also found heavily in WANF’s set, drawing on the station’s updated graphics package that features flat, rectangular bands and segments. WCSC, meanwhile, uses a different look with 3D ribbons, but the connection still works well.

WANF’s set tends toward more bold horizontal accents, particularly in its wraparound walls, and also relies more on large gray frame elements to delineate areas of the set, whereas WCSC feels a bit more open.

The station has applied a simplified cityscape cutout in frost on the wide segment, which stretches across a corner of the set.

On the opposite side of the anchor desk is a working weather center tucked in behind a freestanding 3×3 video wall backed with more of the horizontal wall pattern and frosted panels. 

This is used for both weather and general standups and also includes an additional 75-inch monitor far camera right that can be used on its own or in combination with the larger array.

The new set also includes a sit-down interview area with sofa backed with an 86-inch monitor along with a vertical panel motif, pendant lighting and a “window” created with a duratran. 

The space also includes a stack of lighted panels with an “X” overlay as well as a narrow staircase to create the illusion of a second floor existing somewhere beyond the on-camera space.

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The set layout has been optimized for talent interaction, including tosses to weather and other venues, all of which had to be carefully considered because the station uses locked down, grid-mounted PTZ robotic cameras with monitors mounted above as prompters. 

BDI also added a newsroom position, not shown, that includes a wraparound desk with additional video panels.