KFOR

[bradh]

So whatever happened to that state-of-the-art studio KFOR was working on???

Actually bids tomorrow to general contractors

[John1744]

Actually bids tomorrow to general contractors

They're finally doing that? It's been what two years since they announced they were going to build it?

[Video Expert]

They're finally doing that? It's been what two years since they announced they were going to build it?

Perhaps ODOT is in charge of building the studio??

[Tritone]

^^^The folks building the restaurant next to Chili's in Norman.

[Pete]

In August of 2014, KFOR NewsChannel 4 and KAUT Freedom 43 TV announced plans to break ground on new, state-of-the-art weather, news and digital information center in north Oklahoma City.

The announcement coincided with KFOR's 65th anniversary; it's the state's oldest television station.

At the time the station was just in the initial planning stages. Now, plans have been drawn by architects Rees Associates and will soon be bid for construction.

The new 38,199 square foot $5 million facility will be constructed directly west of the legacy facility on Britton Road just east of Broadway Extension. The existing building will ultimately be demolished for new parking.

Plans show two large studios and a newsroom in the center, with various functions around the perimeter.

At the time of the first announcement Carlton Houston, News Director of KFOR NewsChannel 4 and KAUT Freedom 43 TV said, “The new 4 Warn Storm Center will be designed from the ground up and stand as the centerpiece of the entire news operation. We’ll have the newest technology and the studios will be constructed utilizing the highest safety standards to withstand extreme severe weather so our team can deliver life-saving information on all digital platforms, without interruption.”

KFOR NewsChannel 4/ KAUT Freedom 43 are owned by Tribune Media.

[ljbab728]

It sounds like the weather center will basically be a "safe room".

[jn1780]

Well, they finally started construction on this or about to. I saw a construction fence around the area to the west of the existing studio.

[jn1780]

I drove by KFOR the other day. The new studio seems to be coming along. Its a precast concrete structure.

[Pete]

KFOR is nearing completion of their new facility and will soon be making the move then ultimately demolishing their existing structure.

[jn1780]

KFOR is nearing completion of their new facility and will soon be making the move then ultimately demolishing their existing structure.

I'm assuming they are planning on rolling out a whole new set design around this same time period?

[Dustin]

New building means new set design for sure.

[John1744]

Kind of curious where the weather center is located in those plans, unless it's just in one of the two studios.

[bchris02]

I think it would be cool if one day, at least one of the local TV new stations relocated downtown. I understand why they are where they are i.e. proximity to Edmond as well as that being where they have been for decades. Like NewsOK's move downtown, I think having one of the news stations downtown would benefit both downtown and the station.

[d-usa]

Does News 9 still have that studio in Bricktown?

[Harbinger]

I'm assuming they are planning on rolling out a whole new set design around this same time period?

Prime opportunity to roll out a new Ogle.

[Urbanized]

Does News 9 still have that studio in Bricktown?

Not for close to a decade.

[rezman]

I think it would be cool if one day, at least one of the local TV new stations relocated downtown. I understand why they are where they are i.e. proximity to Edmond as well as that being where they have been for decades. Like NewsOK's move downtown, I think having one of the news stations downtown would benefit both downtown and the station.

The main reason all the stations are located in that area is that geographically that is one of the highest points in Okc.

[Pete]

They built the broadcast antennas and studios out there and bought land to do so.

The antennas aren't going anywhere and they just continue to build on their existing property.

With today's technology I doubt they need to be next to the antennas but they already have their studios there anyway. And the location is pretty darn good.

And, I think all of they have helicopters now and they need room to fly those things. (Although they could really now just drive somewhere and fly a drone.)

[OUman]

^News 9 already has one. Drone 9, or something like that.

Speaking of News 9, is its facility the same and it has just been expanded over the years or did it build a new one?

[scottk]

KWTV NEWS 9 is in the same facility on the southwest corner of Kelley and Wilshire. They have added on and updated through the years. KWTV's sister station, Griffin Communications owned KOTV in Tulsa did move into a brand new facility in Downtown Tulsa around early 2013.

[5alive]

This should be an interesting Fall as the competition among 4, 5 and 9 is heating up.

Abigail Ogle moving to the 6pm newscast. Now the big 3 will each have their own Ogle anchoring at 6..

Maggie Carlo is returning to anchor mornings with Markie Martin.

KOCO picked up two Emmys, one of them for weather coverage, surprising David Payne I imagine. Also they updated their radar a few weeks ago.

And now they are broadcasting from a temporary location in the newsroom, announcing a new set is being built. This isn't too surprising for a couple of reasons, one being the fall season is just around the corner, but the more probable reason is KFOR is moving into a new building and will finally have a new set after who knows how many years. It wouldn't be a shock if News9 made some tweaks to their set in light of KFOR's new digs. KOCO is also touting a new state-of-the-art weather center about a year in the works...it should be interesting to see what KFOR and KOCO is rolling out.

[bombermwc]

KOCO is definitely far better than it used to be all around. For a long time it was the left-behind that no one watched. I gave up on KWTV when Gary told people that they would die if they were underground and KFOR after Mike told people to drive away (and then blamed people for it the next week). KOCO staff always (at least to me) seem to be more calm during storms and less about freaking people out and hyping it all up to be on-air. David Payne and Gary are two peas in a pod there...and i do not consider that a good thing. In the news world, i also tend to prefer their low-hype approach from all of their anchors and the quality of the stories. The whole feel of the station is just different then the other guys, and for me that's why i watch them. I'm sure there are others that dont like them....to each his own.

[rezman]

^^^ I have to agree that KOCO is more calm. I split between them and KWTV, and I pretty much gave up on KFOR. I don't linger too long on them though, and to be quite frank, I'm really sick of all of them and their over self promotion and self importance . If your really that good, you won't have to keep telling people how good you are. And how about channel 9's forced and over used tag line "On the scene, on the story".. Who the hell came up with that?

They're all about show and ratings any more. .. No substance.

[Of Sound Mind]

They're all about show and ratings any more. .. No substance.

They're all about show and ratings because that's what pays the bills. I disagree that they have "no substance"... they may not have hard-hitting, in-depth journalism pieces, but there is enough substance to their newscasts to be reasonable.

[HangryHippo]

And how about channel 9's forced and over used tag line "On the scene, on the story".. Who the hell came up with that?

That line is alone why I can't watch News9. It's annoying as hell.