banking214 Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 I was wondering, how do you think a TV studio like NBC's "Today Show" or ABC's "Good Morning America" would work in Houston? WFAA in Dallas (ABC affiliate) will begin braodcasting live from their new ground level studio in Victory on Monday. I always thought a location along Main or Post Oak/Westheimer would be a great location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 (edited) I was wondering, how do you think a TV studio like NBC's "Today Show" or ABC's "Good Morning America" would work in Houston? WFAA in Dallas (ABC affiliate) will begin braodcasting live from their new ground level studio in Victory on Monday. I always thought a location along Main or Post Oak/Westheimer would be a great location.ABC used to go it quite frequently when Good Morning Houston was on the air. They would broadcast from their pool outside. Most any outdoor locations with an interesting view would be adequate.IMO for a serious news broadcast, having people behind the anchors is distracting. It is most effective for entertainment programs like GMA. Edited January 7, 2007 by musicman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banking214 Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 Maybe not all newcasts, say for instance the 5-7 and noon, possibly 4. I always thought it would be cool to have a news program broadcast from the sky lobby of Williams (Transco) Towner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 I was wondering, how do you think a TV studio like NBC's "Today Show" or ABC's "Good Morning America" would work in Houston? WFAA in Dallas (ABC affiliate) will begin braodcasting live from their new ground level studio in Victory on Monday. I always thought a location along Main or Post Oak/Westheimer would be a great location.Not joking here, but I think those GMA type shows work because there are people in the backgrounds. I would hate to see nothing but cars driving by at some Post Oak type location.That said perhaps INSIDE the Galleria would work or perhaps the Medical Center. Somewhere where there are people to make a broadcast lively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banking214 Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 Not joking here, but I think those GMA type shows work because there are people in the backgrounds. I would hate to see nothing but cars driving by at some Post Oak type location.That said perhaps INSIDE the Galleria would work or perhaps the Medical Center. Somewhere where there are people to make a broadcast lively.I should have been more specific. I think you need to see pedestrian flow or atleast a "busy" background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Not joking here, but I think those GMA type shows work because there are people in the backgrounds. I would hate to see nothing but cars driving by at some Post Oak type location.That said perhaps INSIDE the Galleria would work or perhaps the Medical Center. Somewhere where there are people to make a broadcast lively.Speaking of the Medical Center, I am supprised that there aren't any medical TV shows. Considering that it is the largest Medcial center in the world, you would think a show like Grey's Anatomy would be based there. I remember a while back there was a reality show on ABC called Houston Medical, but that didn't last so long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 (edited) You would think. There is the show on Animal Planet (Pet 9-1-1 or something) that has one of the crews based here. But outside of that, Houston is pretty much off the networks' proverbial radar.Speaking of Gray's Anatomy, two of the main characters are from Houston. One just won an SAG award. Edited January 7, 2007 by houstonmacbro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FilioScotia Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 (edited) Speaking of the Medical Center, I am supprised that there aren't any medical TV shows. Considering that it is the largest Medcial center in the world, you would think a show like Grey's Anatomy would be based there. I remember a while back there was a reality show on ABC called Houston Medical, but that didn't last so long.It doesn't work or even make sense to base or film any kind of show -- medical, legal or otherwise -- anywhere but in Hollywood. That's where the TV industry is centered and headquartered. Even if a show is about a particular place, like Chicago Hope, LA Law, or Boston Legal, the shows aren't filmed there. They're shot in Hollywood sound stages with exterior shots of the city edited in. Even NYPD Blue was shot in Hollywood. Back in the 80s, Houston Knights was a mediocre TV cop show, but only the exteriors were done in Houston. There was a doctor show supposedly set in Houston, about Hermann Hospital's world famous trauma unit, with Dennis Weaver playing a character patterned after Dr. Red Duke. It was awful and thank goodness it lasted less than one season. It too was filmed in Hollywood.Shows like Grey's Anatomy aren't about a particular town or a hospital. They're about relationships and "relations" between doctors and nurses. Like soap operas. They're all in fictitious towns in the midwest. Edited January 7, 2007 by FilioScotia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 A streetfront studio might be a good idea. It works in smaller markets than Houston (Saint Louis, Cincinnati) and in larger (Chicago, New York). The problem is that a lot of it depends on the amount of foot traffic you have on your city's streets. As we all know, Houston is a driving city, so special considerations have to be made.In Chicago, there's a war of streetfront studios going on right now. It started when WGN radio opened one on the most prime piece of real estate in the city. It was followed when the NBC station (WMAQ) opened one next door. Then the ABC station (WLS-TV) opened one on another big tourist drag a few blocks away, and all the crowds fled the NBC station to see the one at ABC because it's longer, brighter, and far more interesting. Now the CBS station (WBBM-TV) is opening one almost across the street from the ABC one. It will be interesting to see if the fickle crowds flee once again.The NBC station in Chicago actually has to rent space in the ground floor of someone else's building since their studios are not exactly where the tourists are. This is what the CBS station in Cincinnati (WKRC-TV) had to do, too. I suspect this will also be the situation for the stations in Houston. None of them are in good locations. It cost WKRC-TV a million dollars to build theirs. I imagine it would be about the same price to do it in Houston. The question is -- will the stations in Houston recoup a million dollars worth of publicity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banking214 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share Posted January 8, 2007 It doesn't work or even make sense to base or film any kind of show -- medical, legal or otherwise -- anywhere but in Hollywood. That's where the TV industry is centered and headquartered. Even if a show is about a particular place, like Chicago Hope, LA Law, or Boston Legal, the shows aren't filmed there. They're shot in Hollywood sound stages with exterior shots of the city edited in. Even NYPD Blue was shot in Hollywood. Back in the 80s, Houston Knights was a mediocre TV cop show, but only the exteriors were done in Houston. There was a doctor show supposedly set in Houston, about Hermann Hospital's world famous trauma unit, with Dennis Weaver playing a character patterned after Dr. Red Duke. It was awful and thank goodness it lasted less than one season. It too was filmed in Hollywood.Shows like Grey's Anatomy aren't about a particular town or a hospital. They're about relationships and "relations" between doctors and nurses. Like soap operas. They're all in fictitious towns in the midwest.Actually, Grey's Anatomy in set in Seattle. And as the other poster noted, you would think Houston would have some sort of television series based out of the medical center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Actually, Grey's Anatomy in set in Seattle. And as the other poster noted, you would think Houston would have some sort of television series based out of the medical center.ER is set in Chicago. If that's still on. I wasn't a fan, so I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FilioScotia Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 (edited) Houston had its chance, and let's just say it didn't go well.Remember "Buck James"? The 1987 TV series set in Houston at a hospital remarkably just like Hermann Hospital. It was awful. Let us give thanks that it lasted only one season. Dennis Weaver played a Texas rancher with a medical degree who was clearly based on Dr. Red Duke. Visualize "McCloud" in a medical smock speaking ER medical jargon and you have "Buck James". Almost none of it was actually filmed in Houston and it lasted only 19 episodes from 1987 to 1988. If you don't remember this show -- lucky you -- here's everything you need to know. http://www.tv.com/buck-james/show/11026/ep...g=tabs;episodes Edited January 8, 2007 by FilioScotia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banking214 Posted January 12, 2007 Author Share Posted January 12, 2007 Does anyone know if any news station in Houston has had or considered a studio similiar to Chicago or Dallas? Or any other markets that have the studios close to pedestrian activity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 It doesn't work or even make sense to base or film any kind of show -- medical, legal or otherwise -- anywhere but in Hollywood. That's where the TV industry is centered and headquartered. Even if a show is about a particular place, like Chicago Hope, LA Law, or Boston Legal, the shows aren't filmed there. They're shot in Hollywood sound stages with exterior shots of the city edited in. Even NYPD Blue was shot in Hollywood. Back in the 80s, Houston Knights was a mediocre TV cop show, but only the exteriors were done in Houston. There was a doctor show supposedly set in Houston, about Hermann Hospital's world famous trauma unit, with Dennis Weaver playing a character patterned after Dr. Red Duke. It was awful and thank goodness it lasted less than one season. It too was filmed in Hollywood.Shows like Grey's Anatomy aren't about a particular town or a hospital. They're about relationships and "relations" between doctors and nurses. Like soap operas. They're all in fictitious towns in the midwest.The FOX show Vanished is based and taped in Atlanta. (but it was cancled)http://www.fox.com/vanished/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VanishedReba is set in HoustonAnd there are a lot of national shows taped in Houston that you would have never known. 3 Court TV shows are taped at the Fox 26 studios, Texas JusticeJudge ChristineJudge AlexAnimal Cops HoustonBig City TV - Show seen on satilite taped in HoustonAnd the list goes on........There is a new Animie cable network based out of HoustonA Mexican language Network based out of HoustonA Satilite Horse Channel based out of HoustonAlso there is a British reality show taping in Houston now where Beyonces dad trans wanna be singers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Does anyone know if any news station in Houston has had or considered a studio similiar to Chicago or Dallas? Or any other markets that have the studios close to pedestrian activity?must not be a serious news station but an infotainment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimberlySayWhat Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 You can't set a drama series in Houston, or any other southern city for that matter, without turning it into a cartoon of stereotypical caricatures. Look at "Dallas". That's just how it is. Hollywood's just too lazy. They wouldn't even put forth the effort. They'd rather stereotype or stick to the same old tired formula. That's part of the reason 99% of everything that comes out of Hollywood these days is trash that I don't even bother with. As for the news studio a la the morning news shows and such, it depends where you place it. I was watching TXCN the other day and saw the one in Dallas and I wasn't impressed. During an evening telecast (or it could have been early morning), when it was dark outside, there weren't any lights or anything in the background; complete blackness. I saw a daytime telecast later and there was still nothing to look at. Some apartments in one shot, some railing in another. I wouldn't mind one in Houston if they do it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 What's the benefit of a studio being close to pedestrian activity?It works for MTV and the Today Show. ABC and CBS look like copy-cats. I always think "why areen't those losers over at the Today Show"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 What's the benefit of a studio being close to pedestrian activity?Only benefit is to have more people interaction. However for news show to do this would only be a distraction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Might as well build one at the new downtown park. That place is going to save the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banking214 Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 What's the benefit of a studio being close to pedestrian activity?It works for MTV and the Today Show. ABC and CBS look like copy-cats. I always think "why areen't those losers over at the Today Show"?I can't watch Today since they changed the set. It just seemed so cramped, like low ceilings. Have they fixed that?Might as well build one at the new downtown park. That place is going to save the world.For a kings ransom, it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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