‘The Assignment’ blends texture, color to create unique look

MS NOW’s new entry into the weekend schedule, “The Assignment with Antonia Hylton” debuted Sept. 12, 2026, with graphics that combine texture, warmth and friendliness to create a unique look.

The graphics lean heavily into the notion of handwritten notes and sketches inspired by a reporter’s notes. A textural beige background element conjures images of parchment or paper, creating a nice complement to the concept of note-taking.

Meanwhile, a series of colorful polygons are used to bring added visual interest and a broader color palette to the design. These shapes are also used in animated page turns, creating another link back to the idea of notes. 

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In addition, other colored shapes appear throughout the look, along with a torn-page effect. Other accents include thin intersecting lines and brush strokes. 

“The Assignment” broadcasts from MS NOW’s Studio 9C, which allows it to take advantage of the space’s faux brick walls that have a similar textural feel as the paper background graphics. The space’s faux greenery walls also feel at home with the graphics. 

The space’s angular paneled walls and columns also ties nicely into the polygons and other shapes in the graphics package.

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In 9C, host Antonia Hylton sits in front of the space’s large curved LED video wall. The on-set background features a sketch-style New York skyline set against the beige paper backdrop. Additional handwritten text, which include snippets describing the tenets of journalism, along with Hylton’s signature, also appear here and in the motion graphics. 

A row of colored shapes runs across the top and bottom of the video wall, positioned in a way that, in closer shots, talent and guests’ heads are positioned against the tan background with portions of shapes peeking in.

The multicolor blocks themselves are strategically positioned so that, in most blocking, heads are neatly framed by the angular shapes.