ABC employees reportedly voicing concerns about move to Hudson Square

Page Six is reporting that ABC staffers are grumbling over the network’s planned move to the new Disney building in Hudson Square later in 2024.

Staffers are reportedly worried about issues such as lack of space, basement level studios located near an active subway line and how the building was designed.

NewscastStudio reached out to ABC News for comment on the Page Six piece and did not hear back.

According to Page Six sources, some staffers taken to calling the new building “no man’s land” and that most people have been left in the dark about the move.

Disney reportedly took away an entire floor of office space planned for ABC News and others have voiced concerns about the open-layout design the new building. 

In 2018, Disney announced it had signed a 99-year lease and deal to develop a new center for most of its New York-based operations (ESPN is reportedly staying put in the Armory building).

At the same time, ABC announced it had sold its headquarters near Lincoln Square to Silverstein Properties with a leaseback option until the new building, which is also being developing in partnership with Silverstein, opens.

Since then, the new building has gone through various design and construction phases, with it being topped out in April 2022. The complex is distinct from Hudson Yards, where CNN’s New York operations moved to in 2019.

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Sources say that shows such as “The View,” “Live with Kelly and Mark” and “Tamron Hall” will move into purpose-built studios in the new building over the summer of 2024, with fall debuts planned. 

ABC News and shows such as “World News Tonight” won’t move until after the 2024 elections, according to sources, meaning it’s likely they won’t move in until 2025.

When ABC News redesigned Studio TV3 back in 2020, it did note that, while no specific plans had been made, its investment in LED panels and lighting for the space was made knowing that they would likely need to be moved within four or five years, though it’s not clear if this is still the case.

Meanwhile, plans for the future of “Good Morning America” aren’t clear either.

Originally Disney had reportedly wanted the morning program to move to Hudson Square along with everything else. That sparked internal concern about the network giving up its highly visual location at the “crossroads of the world” and possibly being relegated to the basement of the new building.

Some sources say Disney has renewed its lease on the Times Square Studios property, though it’s not clear for how long. 

In March 2022, ABC invested heavily in an extensive renovation of the second floor of the “GMA” studio, including adding a plethora of new LED panels.

That said, the redesign also covered many of the windows that once gave the program sprawling views of Times Square. The downstairs studio, which serves as the primary anchor area for “GMA,” has also made moves to obscure its windows. 

Despite not having all the views it once had, the studio space, which features an elaborate facade of glass and LED ribbons originally designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, still serves as an oversized billboard for the network.

ABC frequently showcases promos on the large screen traditional rectangular screen installed in the upper levels and uses the ribbons to showcase news headlines and promote shows, films and brands from across the Disney empire.

Some are questioning if ABC will end up abandoning the property now that “CBS Mornings” moved in just down the street. 

“Mornings” does not use the windows its second-level studio has overlooking Times Square, which is part of One Astor Plaza, also known as 1515 Broadway, which is headquarters to CBS parent Paramount Global.

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Part of the “CBS Mornings” space was once home to MTV’s “Total Request Live,” which famously would showcase the bustling exterior behind its hosts.

CBS has, however, left up prominent CBS News branding covering the windows and can also use the large electronic billboards on the exterior of other parts of the building to promote its properties. 

NBC, meanwhile, still maintains its “window on the world” Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza, though its windows are used behind talent frequently, unlike at ABC and CBS.

All three networks likely spend millions each year on expenses such as rent, maintenance and broadcast operations for their morning shows that could be avoided if the programs originated from a more traditional setup on less expensive real estate, especially given that not all program make use of the windows.

However, the expense is likely seen as a worthwhile branding and marketing investment given how high profile the locales are.