WMAQ NBC 5 News at 6:00 Open, 6/21/2021 (New Graphics)

Open for the 6pm newscast on Chicago, IL NBC O&O WMAQ-TV, recorded Monday, June 21, 2021. Also includes the pre-show teases.

During the 4pm newscast, the station debuted new graphics, which are an evolution to the previous Look N package. This package is almost certainly due to replace it on the other NBC O&Os soon (before the Olympics perhaps?). Count me as a fan. I can't really say anything bad about it.

What a day to launch, with a massive tornado hitting the Chicago region the night before. The station has been covering the subsequent aftermath all day.

Music continues to be the NBC O&O Package from Stephen Arnold Music (which was intended to be used on all NBC O&Os a decade ago but that never happened). While the open does not contain any voiceover, the station currently does not use an imaging voice since the death of Ed Hopkins (they were already straying away from a voiceover in most of their promos for some time now).

Anchored by Rob Stafford and Alison Rosatti. Includes a live hit from Chris Coffey.

©2021 NBC Universal Media and WMAQ-TV, no copyright infringement intended. For educational and historical purposes only. We do not profit off of this video.

[friesareyummy]

This feels like a localized version of "NBC Nightly too bad though.

[scottschell]

I absolutely love these graphics more then the previous can’t wait to see other NBC O&Os get them.

[laureanoagustin]

I like it, but I will miss the Look N. However, it's a great upgrade for WMAQ and the rest of the NBC owned stations.

[NEILEAS]

I like these new graphics. I also like the Chicago is first for something

[lnkthevhsguy]

Nice to see something from my DMA. Overall, in my opinion, these are nice graphics and are better than the previous package. Regarding the thumbnail design, it is going to be a temporary change or permanent one?

[TheMrlocalcelebrity]

I love it! Go NBC 5! And Allison Rosati looks amazing!

[DJPaoloDelaCruz]

New Graphics Train by NBC starting its run across America! I guess we won't have other O&Os force to change their theme music.

[directionlessvelocity]

NBC removed the ticker. This can be syndicated to affiliates, like how WDJT has CBS O&O graphics

[seventrammell]

this looks good. less crummy and more vibrant than before.

[Molejules]

Look N was already kind of outdated in terms of design appeal when it came out in 2016 with lots of glass, dark color palettes, and that weirdo peacock background animation with some RNG surface formation. It introduced a couple of on-screen elements like the overhead franchising banner (don't know if any station still uses the TEGNA-esque rundown) and the expanded bug space, though that looked particularly ugly outside of broadcast use. Cohesive, but it was a bad fit.

Here, there's a lot of bright/dark clashing going on, though when done right, some animations transitioning from dark to bright can grab attention. The peacock cut-out motif is cleaner and less distracting here and the rest feels... well, I feel like they could've placed a few more hex-color accents in lieu of firing that logo animation all the time, but the L3 looks fine as it is. The weather graphics (not seen here, but rolled out early to most stations) are definitely brighter and more pleasing IMO. I think this can be worked into a great look for the O&Os.

[DrunkBostonMediaFan]

This is what Look N should've been...but why did they inflate the version letters again to "S"? They didn't do any custom work since? When did Artworks move to DFW?
I get a Look E feel on the bug space, with peacock to channel # transition.

[Nathannah]

Of course they change the graphics the moment I pass through Chicago. 😂 I did see some cues on their 11am show but it wasn't the full look by any means.

[videonut]

They’re still using KNSD’s former theme and WCAU’s semi current theme (wish they’d use Tower again…)

[kennystidham]

The WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago screen bug kinda looks like a localized version of the NBC Nightly News screen bug.

[TheRobSka]

TBH, i am not a big fan.
I like how it has the squares (similar to Nightly News), but I don't like how it's more "open" (i.e., there's no white bar on the bottom of the screen)
The previous news package reminded me of the old MSNBC look (which I liked), and this news package reminds me of the current MSNBC look (which I'm not a big fan of)
I really hope the previous "Look N" package could be syndicated to other news stations (specifically ones that still use Look F, *cough*, WHEC)
Overall I would like to give this news package a 6/10

[news]

Oh this looks very nice. I'd take this over T and S packages.

[trentphillips]

KOAM got the Morgan Murphy graphics tonight

[maihuongle]

B”? or “Look N v2”???
yep, that will expanding to all O&O this month or next month and this IS an update
BRUH

[joejonas]

I like the graphics but personally wish they would just leave the Peacock with the 5 and not zoom into the peacock back and forth. Kinda always distracts me watching the news

[maihuongle]

is this having idea from nightly news’s graphics?