WSVN 7 Miami - new music and graphics

[Mouseboy33]

After many decades of firmly cementing its flag into the tabloid style graphics and music WSVN again debuted a new flashly over the top look and sound. For presentation fans outside of the US what WSVN -Miami and sister WHDH Boston is very rare in local television. the station is known of course for its tabloid style they pioneered in the early 90s. But also for news team that produces hours and hours of news a day, the level of production they put into each newscast is very rarely done any more. Mixing in a good variety of local and international stories, WSVN is know as a journalists station. Apparently the station bosses are a good group to work for and expect hard work and a tenacious attitude toward getting the story. THey are also well know for extremely high production values. Whereas many stations are now using locked down cameras and simple transitions, no music, or graphics. WSVN throws the entire kitchen sink at you every newscast. Never skimping or compromising on their particular style. Clearly its not everyone's taste and it can feel overwhelming. But they do a great job covering their city and when a major breaking story happens they are brilliant.

This morning WSVN debuted a new theme from its long-time in-house composer Chris Crane. For international presentation fans, thats unheard of for a single station to have its own theme composer, and they have had one for decades. THis is one of Chris Crane's better themes in his distinctive "Miami Vice-style" music. Also they debuted a new open and lower thirds. I really like this version. WSVN wouldnt be WSVN if they adopted flat graphics and white backgrounds and a "heart-monitor" beeping theme. This is a case of doing what you know and doing it better than anyone else.

Yeah it always over the top, but its not lazy work. All of WSVN's graphics are done in house. (Also rare these days at the local level.) F The transition from weather features 5 elements including a jib cam over the newsroom and huge graphic on the video wall to intro the reporter on scene. Instead of criticizing the style of graphics think about the work that goes into creating and rendering the sheer volume the station uses. Also the phrase "cheap and nasty' are thrown around alot. Well I would say whats cheap to make..a flat back ground and simple swipe that looks like it was done on MS Powerpoint? It might be flashy but their is some imagination at play to determine the movement and flow of on screen elements.

[media]

[dbl]

Those are 'new' graphics? 2022 must have rang the wrong door.

[Brekkie]

They are very 90s. Such a horrid station logo to work with.

[Medianext.MX]

I understand your comments, but on 7 they are not going on trend. WSVN was and is visually OTT. It’s their style, and not everybody likes it. Their if it bleeds, it leads style is popular in Miami and has been copied by almost every station in South Florida, in some form or another. Even WHDH, when they got the Cheatwood treatment, had its ratings revived and it is now competing with WCVB in the race for first place. An attempt by Cox to ape them at WFXT failed miserably and they are now suffering in the ratings and going for a traditional hard news format similar to those made by other Cox stations.

Back in Miami, WPLG did copy almost everything from WSVN, although not as grandiose as 7 (they lack a Newsplex and their graphics are more muted), and they are now competing for first place with 7. WTVJ is visually less intensive (as an NBC O&O, they used mandated graphics), although the bread and butter of their coverage is also tabloidy. WFOR is more traditional: they attempted to mimic the tabloid style for a while, but their coverage is much more traditional than the others; they are dead last in news, but they have their dedicated audience and offer more coverage of social issues than the others. Even WAMI (during the USA/Diller era), with its irreverent, Daily Show-like attempt at news (The Times), suffered from the popularity of WSVN and its tabloid view, even if they sold their newscast as having no crime in and focusing on in-depth journalism and lots of lighter fare. Another difference between WSVN and them: the other stations are corporate owned, whilst WSVN is still locally owned, one of the few stations in the US with local ownership, by Sunbeam Television, founded by Sidney Ansin and his son Edmund, and after his death, taken over by his sons Andrew and James, who have no plans to sell it to corporate interests; the new graphics are a visible part of their commitment to retain the stations.

Bear in mind also that the if it bleeds, it leads style has been toned down over the years, with less coverage of crime (which is still the bread and butter of WSVN news) and increased time for consumer, lifestyle, health and well-being segments and more coverage of entertainment, sports and weather, specially during big events happening in South Florida.

[Mouseboy33]

Those are 'new' graphics? 2022 must have rang the wrong door.

Its what WSVN does. Has done and will continue to do. They are if anything consistent. They do tabloid. Thats their style. Subtle graphics that most news operations use today doesnt work for WSVN.
[media]

[Mouseboy33]

They are very 90s. Such a horrid station logo to work with.

There are many stations in the US that have a similar logo. Most of the ABC O&O use the famous Circle 7 logo. Its been used for decades. WSVN just makes theirs red. YOu also have to remember the audience they are appealing to. South Florida is very Latin. Its a flashy vibrant culture and most people from South Florida are from elsewhere. So there is a loud, brash, youthful, flashy vibe to the city and region. Its not London. 8-)

Here is the new theme.
[media]

[Mr Q]

WSVN was and is visually OTT. It’s their style, and not everybody likes it.

Yes, completely true. It all looks pretty awful. Like a parody of a news broadcast.

"If it bleeds, it leads"? If so, my eyeballs are topping today's headlines.

[Sky303]

[quote=Brekkie post_id=67517 time= user_id=976]
They are very 90s. Such a horrid station logo to work with.

There are many stations in the US that have a similar logo. Most of the ABC O&O use the famous Circle 7 logo. Its been used for decades. WSVN just makes theirs red. YOu also have to remember the audience they are appealing to. South Florida is very Latin. Its a flashy vibrant culture and most people from South Florida are from elsewhere. So there is a loud, brash, youthful, flashy vibe to the city and region. Its not London. 8-)

Here is the new theme.
[media]

[London Lite]

I expect this will also end up on Boston's WHDH which is also owned by Sunbeam which also uses an almost identikit set and graphics. From what I've seen of this, it's evolution rather than drastic change.

[Mouseboy33]

I expect this will also end up on Boston's WHDH which is also owned by Sunbeam which also uses an almost identikit set and graphics. From what I've seen of this, it's evolution rather than drastic change.

SOme have commented it looks like a parody. But if you know anything about North American newscasts, WSVN/WHDH are pretty much in their own lane. For local stations, there are no other operations that put as much effort into their newscasts production-wise than these 2 stations consistently for decades. Its impressive. Rather than be hypercritical of the unapologetic tabloid style, why not take look at see the meticulously crafted production they put on for hours each day ...its impressive. Especially for those of you who claim to work in television and work in tv galleries. Keep in mind these are only local stations. THey are not NETWORK channels like the BBC, ITV, SKY....but they make their newscasts feel big and important.

The sets are similar but they are hardly "identikit. THe only similarities are the name, 2 levels, the placement of the video walls and the colour scheme. WHDH actually has a working 2nd level and the offices on either side of the upper level video wall have screens on the back walls as well. so essentially the entire back wall its basically a video wall. (THey are hardly the ITV Local sets.
WSVN



WHDH



Interesting how WSVN/WHDH Newsplex looks similar to the old SkyNews Centre,....a parody?... Hmmm interesting.



The credible local tv insider blog FTVLive said this about WSVN when it gave out its annual best and worst list of hundreds of stations in the US.

For the 4th Best TV station to work for we head to South Florida….

This station is all about covering news and they do that very well.

WSVN (Miami) is a news powerhouse and they have been that way for years.

This station cranks out more news than any other South Florida station and it is more like a news factory than a newsroom.

If you are a Journalist that likes doing straight Journalism, then this is a great place to work.

If you are a person that needs a lot of praise and back-patting, WSVN might not be a good fit for you. It is the type of place in which if you do you job and do it well, you really are not going to get many “atta-boy/girl.”

At WSVN, the focus is always on the next newscast and not the one that just aired.

If you are the type of person that likes to be handed an assignment and then go to work, and don’t need to be showered with praise for the job you do, this is the place for you.

So many young people, who’s parents have praised them for every little thing, might find that the WSVN environment is a bit cold.

But, if you are one of those that it is all about the job and holding yourself accountable, this is the perfect newsroom.

The place is not for everyone, but if you are a solid Journalist, it is likely for you.

[mark]

Just watched a bit of WSVN's 5pm news and I think the new graphics suit the station really well.

For such a flashy station, the straps and logo/clock/temperature are actually quite compact. They probably take up less screen space than the equivalent graphics on a lot of stations with much more restrained presentation.