Circle City Broadcasting going virtual for WRTV studio upgrade

WRTV will debut a virtual studio this fall, Circle City Broadcasting owner and CEO DuJuan McCoy announced this week.

The Indianapolis ABC affiliate said the studio would support coverage of breaking news, severe weather, sports and community events across television, streaming and digital platforms.

“The new studio represents a significant investment in local journalism and will provide WRTV viewers with an enhanced and more immersive viewing experience,” McCoy said. “Augmented and Virtual Reality will transform how we present breaking news, severe weather, sports, and community coverage across television, streaming, and digital platforms.”

The project is designed by FX Design Group with technology from ENCO.

ENCO’s Qimera virtual production platform will be used to key and power the virtual capabilities.

WRTV plans to share construction updates, design renderings, and behind-the-scenes previews on-air, online and through social media ahead of the launch.

The studio announcement follows Circle City Broadcasting’s $83 million acquisition of WRTV from E.W. Scripps Co.

The Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction in February through a waiver of local ownership rules, allowing Circle City Broadcasting to own WRTV alongside WISH and WNDY in the Indianapolis market.

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Circle City Broadcasting laid off a significant portion of WRTV’s staff after completing the acquisition. The company did not release official staffing figures but said it offered positions to some WRTV employees and provided severance packages to others based on contract terms or tenure.