NBC Chicago's new studio marks end of daytime TV era
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NBC Chicago's Kevin Cross in front of the new studio at NBC Tower. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
NBC 5's new studio at NBC Tower marks the end of Chicago's daytime TV production era, but bets big on the future of local news.
Why it matters: The investment boosts local news — but underscores how far Chicago has drifted from its once-dominant role in daytime TV.
The big picture: The nearly 70,000-square-foot space now houses NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago newsrooms in the same studio that once produced shows hosted by Jerry Springer, Jenny Jones, Steve Harvey and Judge Greg Mathis.
What they're saying: "This floor was sitting here empty," NBCU Local Chicago President and CEO Kevin Cross tells Axios. "So we saw an opportunity to not only bring our newsroom together, but to grow in a different way."
Between the lines: Chicago didn't lose daytime TV with this move — it already left.
- Production shifted to the coasts after the end of "Judge Mathis" in 2022, closing a chapter dominated by Oprah Winfrey and Springer.
Zoom out: The new space includes multiple studios, robotic cameras and augmented and virtual reality — a major upgrade from traditional newsroom setups.
- While many news organizations are consolidating and cutting back, NBC Chicago is expanding.
- Recent layoffs have hit competitors WGN-TV and Fox 32.
Case in point: "Coming from where I did, it's like going from a warehouse to the penthouse," investigative reporter Chuck Goudie, who left ABC 7 for NBC last year, tells Axios.
- "If we can draw people in with the visual aspect of an investigative story, more people will watch. And that's the name of the game."
Zoom in: Cross says the new space will serve Chicago viewers better, designed not just for broadcast but also for streaming, podcasts and social media.
- "It's not just about the 10pm newscast anymore. We have to meet the audience where they are," he says. "We have 20 locations inside this space where we can go live instantly."
- "They want more constant connection, and this facility will allow us to do that."
The bottom line: Chicago helped define daytime TV. Now, NBC is betting its new studios can help define local news.