On Monday, CBS Mornings returned to its old stomping grounds as it began broadcasting out of Studio 57 at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York.
“Do we look different to you? That is because we are back in our home, our beautiful new studio,” said CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King at the start of the broadcast. She went on to acknowledge the historical context of the return, noting it was the same studio where CBS Mornings, formerly known as CBS This Morning, was born.
Since September 2021, CBS Mornings has been broadcasting from its Times Square studio. Cost-cutting measures were reportedly behind the show’s relocation from Times Square.
According to CBS News, the new studio features a vibrant mid-century aesthetic, designed to feel inviting and fresh, while still evoking a sense of familiarity.
The signature circular desk remains the focal point of the studio, which includes a new floor pattern, expanded LED screens, warm wood elements, and signature columns.
“It’s good to be home,” said executive producer Shawna Thomas in a statement. “We will have advanced flexibility in the new studio.”
Thomas noted that with a button push, the studio can be transformed using custom graphics to match whatever the news of the moment might be. The ep added that the move back to the CBS Broadcast Center puts the show closer to CBS News’ newsgathering teams.
The mid-morning program CBS Mornings Plus is also being broadcast out of Studio 57, with CBS Saturday Morning set to launch from the new studio this coming weekend.
The move to curtail costs comes as CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, was acquired by Skydance Media, led by David Ellison.
The $8 billion acquisition of the media conglomerate is heralding changes at the news network, which may be affected by additional cost-cutting measures such as layoffs. Other changes include the recent appointment of Kenneth R. Weinstein as ombudsman and Bari Weiss joining the network in a potential senior leadership role.
Meanwhile, CBS Mornings was the last of the national broadcast networks to be based out of Times Square.
Right before the start of the summer, Good Morning America started broadcasting from its new home and location at the Robert A. Iger Building in 7 Hudson Square.
This completed ABC News’ monthslong consolidation of its New York facilities, which saw all facets of its operations, including news, editorial, live productions, streaming, technology, advertising, corporate, and business support functions, as well as its O&O affiliate station WABC, now under one roof at the building, named after the current Disney CEO.