WBFF FOX45 Launches New News Studio September 2018

WBFF FOX45 Reveals New Studio and Defines the Future of Broadcast Set Design

BALTIMORE (September 7, 2018) – WBFF FOX45 has revealed its new set and one the most advanced news studios in the country. Baltimore viewers were treated to a sneak peek when FOX45 News at 4pm unveiled the new design and technology yesterday. Today is the first full day of broadcasts using the new studio.
WBFF, the local FOX affiliate and flagship station of Hunt Valley, MD based Sinclair Broadcast Group commissioned the Devlin Design Group to implement ‘next-generation’ thinking to create a scenic storytelling environment that showcases the latest in technology, and increases production values. The set embrace viewers by capturing the vibe of this station’s dedication to its community, to capture Baltimore and the station’s history.
“Sinclair Broadcast Group has been at the forefront of industry-changing events and technological advances. For our ‘home office’ we had to have a high-tech information hub for WBFF’s dynamic news operation. Team DDG delivered a design that energizes the entire staff and serves the community. The historic touches throughout the set honor the heritage of Baltimore and our founder,” said Mark Nadeau, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Director of TV Production.

Baltimore has been called a "city of neighborhoods” with 72 designated historic districts. The streets are lined with thousands of distinctive red brick rowhouses which architecturally define the city. The scenic team spent painstaking hours to accurately portray the red brick appearing on accent walls throughout the design.

“FOX45 continues to expand our news dedication and purpose of bringing the residents of Baltimore and the surrounding counties the most important news coverage and investigative reports as they affect each and every viewer. This new technology and presentation is more validation of that promise,” said William Fanshawe, General Manager of WBFF.

The studio employs a design with not only tech, but also flexibility, depth and character, allowing FOX45 to move and enhance the way they tell stories. An added benefit, was the combination of the designs layout, the scale of the sets architecture, and the creative integration, which has created a very intimate feeling on the set. This keeps the focus on talent, and gives them a very user friendly, fluid, storytelling environment. The layout includes a large main news area and lifestyle set.

The flexibility includes a complement of stages with impressive technology. Three LED arrays behind the main desk feature the latest in video technology. There is a large storytelling wall for ‘the big story’ with fourteen monitors configured in a 7x2 array. The multipurpose area has a triplet of 75” portrait monitors for more intimate storytelling. The weather area has its own impressive 4x2 array. The main desk and weather desk include monitors for branding. The lifestyle set has three, 75” monitors for the display of video and graphics.

The Maryland State and Baltimore City flags are represented in the design. The vertical bars appearing in the RGB LED color-changing backlit walls, especially prominent on the lifestyle set, represent the Calvert family name of the Lords of Baltimore who founded Maryland. The cross bottony symbol which appears in the hanging etched glass panels represent the Crossland family, namely the mother of Lord Baltimore.

The set valance features an artistic interpretation of electrical analog symbols to honor of the founder of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Julian Sinclair Smith, who began his career as an electrical engineer before becoming a television executive and launched WBFF.

“Sinclair Broadcast Group is dedicated to developing the next generation of broadcasting. We are thrilled to partner with them to help define the future,” said Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, Devlin Design Group, VP Scenic Design.

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