NBC News will begin broadcasting Oct. 22 from two newly renovated studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza as part of the integration of NBC News and MSNBC into a combined operation under one roof, the network announced last week.
Besides Studios 3A and 3C, the new NBC News world headquarters will be home to the operation’s newsroom and house the editorial and production staffs of nearly all NBC News and MSNBC programs, the news desks of NBC News, NBC News Specials unit and the East Coast MSNBC.com editorial operation.
Renovation of the new facility began in February and the final stages will be completed in 2008, the network said. Among other things, the work saw more than 200mi of cable pulled and the installation of 280 HD monitors and six HD projectors.
When completed, the new headquarters will also be home to “Dateline NBC,” Peacock Productions, NBC News educational initiatives, NBC News Radio and NBC News2Go.
NBC News also announced plans to build an HD news content center and TV production facility in Los Angeles to house the NBC News Los Angeles bureau. It will be modeled after the new world headquarters.
Studio 3A will debut on the morning of Oct. 22 when MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” will open its broadcast there at 6 a.m. EST. MSNBC will continue to broadcast from Studio 3A throughout the day, including “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” in primetime. At 6:30 p.m. EST, Brian Williams will unveil the renovated Studio 3C on “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.” More than 12.5 hours of live television across NBC News and MSNBC will originate from the two studios daily.
The 8500sq-ft studio space includes MSNBC's main anchor platform, which is motorized on a 50ft track to move throughout the studio. A platform in the center of 3A can be raised up to 52in for effects and events. One wall houses 36 monitors and can be used in a variety of ways for production purposes. Studio 3A also includes a 31ft catwalk above the main anchor platform for additional options for stand-ups, and offers 61 seats for the newsgathering staffs of the NBC News Desks, NBC News Channel, NBC Satellite Operations and the MSNBC.com East Coast Cover Team.
