Bloomberg’s ‘The Close’ opens the doors on new home, graphics

Bloomberg TV’s “The Close” moved studios on June 10, 2024, as part of a broader relaunch and rebranding that gave the show a softer, more approachable feel that still provides plenty of digital canvases to showcase data and visuals.

The show remained based in Bloomberg TV’s New York City world headquarters and continues the channel’s tradition of using large swaths of LED walls as primary backgrounds.

While the old design focused heavily on the iconic up and down arrows used to indicate stock direction, the new motion graphics include graceful, colorful wisps used to suggest lines on a graph, so the show retains its data-driven feel.

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In the show’s opening, the ribbons burst through various scenes of bright and airy New York City, often interacting with the landmarks depicted. 

Eventually, all the strands merge into a single flatline, which doubles as an underline accent under the show name, updated with lighter typography.

The red line is capped with a bold red dot, a visual nod to how the closing bell puts a period of sorts on the trading day.

Colors are centered around a fresh palette of red, teal-green and violet-blue. 

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Overall, the aesthetic follows updates made across the channel to transition often lighter looks, which could be seen as a way to stand out against competitors CNBC and Fox Business’s more saturated, bold looks.

Much of this look and feel is carried through on the broadcast’s backgrounds, centered around a matching NYC cityscape rather than the old darker looks featuring stock market imagery. 

The backdrops typically incorporate a gradient along the bottom third, a blurred red border, and repeating logos. This is an effective way to suggest that there might be a glass railing or other structural element between talent and the cityscape in that it doesn’t attempt to be overly realistic. 

Additional structural elements are brought in through the use of off-white frames, which separate segments of the video wall graphic. There’s little attempt here to make the imagery suggest it’s real, such as adding 3D effects or beveled edges, another smart move by the design team.

The studio is separated by a large video panel mounted to a header element. Its position allows it to be used in a variety of shots, including video on video walk and wander floating camera shots. It also serves as an additional way to display financial data with talent who can interact with it more closely.

Combined, the panel and video walls also give the show a new variety of ways to showcase the countdown click to “the close” of markets, its namesake.

On the set, “The Close” brings back a more traditional anchor desk, an organic flowing unit. The five-person desk serves as both a traditional anchor position as well as a way for in-studio guests to discuss news of the day with hosts.

It features a unique asymmetrical curved footprint and includes lighted reveal lines and integrated downlighting for the base. An off-white element around the top of the desk helps hide the myriad of computers and terminals tucked into the desk for talent to use while on air.

Previously, the show used distinct freestanding lectern-style pods for both anchors and guests. 

In addition to visual updates, “The Close” also has theme music that is significantly less hard-hitting and aggressive than it was, matching the overall brighter and lighter vibe of the revamped show.

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Talent also now move more freely around the studio with a handheld camera contributing more natural movements into select shots — and their energy level appeared to be boosted by the new environs on its debut episode.

“The Close” is officially titled “Bloomberg Markets: The Close” as a way to tie it into the channel’s dayside blocks also branded with the name “Bloomberg Markets” that air on either side of the noon eastern hour.

The images and video used here do not include the typical ticker and L-bar graphic with real-time financial data, which reduces screen real estate.