GMA’s Times Square Exit: The End of an Era Unveils Mixed Emotions Among Staff
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“GMA’s long stint at Times Square Studios is drawing to a close. ABC’s flagship morning news show has frequently employed a setting at the Crossroads of the World that allowed it to depict an excited crowd of everyday people in the backdrop, similar to rival “Today.” However, the network is planning a downtown relocation to New York’s Hudson Square neighbourhood, where parent firm Disney is establishing a new office tower. Part of going to this very expensive facility is they want ‘GMA’ to give up the Times Square Studios lease’, a source close to the situation informed Page Six. Considering the new digs might not have any windows or outside area, the programme may lose the tourist fans who congregate to watch anchors Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, and George Stephanopoulos give the news via the window.
Won't someone think of the beautiful people?https://t.co/wulc6SPy1J
— JWF (@JammieWF) October 19, 2023
“It could be down there!” According to the source, “the talent as well as producers are not pleased regarding it [and] it gives a competitive advantage to ‘Today,'” the show’s morning opponent. According to yet another source, the move will not take place until 2025, thus it is not a major concern for ABC executives. “We are in the news business.” “Everyone is more concerned with tomorrow than the next month,” said an insider. “The city is the set,” they added. It’s terrific that Disney is making investments in a new cutting-edge facility that will be ideal for the show.” The relocation downtown will also enable producers, talent, as well as staff to collaborate under one roof. They now divide their time between Times Square and facilities on the Upper West Side, 20 blocks north.
GMA’s Long Stint At Times Square Studios Is Coming To An End And Crew Members And Staffers Aren’t Happy With The Decision
Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, & Michael Strahan will soon be greeting ABC’s morning audience from a very different location. Walt Disney Co. plans to relocate all of its New York properties to a building in downtown New York’s Hudson Square neighbourhood in 2025 as part of a bigger relocation. This will include certain programmes that are currently in place at widely recognised studios, such as “GMA” and “Live with Kelly and Mark.” The shift isn’t expected to happen for a while, but workers are already worried about how it would affect the show’s standing in TV’s never-ending morning news conflicts. ‘Good Morning America’ is characterized by the expertise of its crew, both in front of and behind the camera, the accuracy of its coverage, and its long and established relationship with its audience, stated the cable network. The New York Post had previously reported that “GMA’s” cross-town move would facilitate greater collaboration and innovation. ABC News is moving its departments into a state-of-the-art building. There may be some employees who are encouraged by the change. After all, Disney CEO Bob Iger has expressed interest in selling ABC. However, plans to relocate “GMA” to Disney’s new headquarters could imply that the business wants to maintain the show, or possibly ABC News as a whole, regardless of whether the network’s linear infrastructure is taken over by another firm.
Times Square has aided “GMA” in its long-running rivalry with NBC’s “Today” for morning viewers. “Today” anchors are frequently seen talking to passers-by outside NBC’s headquarters in midtown Manhattan. When “GMA” took up quarters in Times Square in a studio that permitted some city people to view through enormous street-level windows, it captured some of that spirit. “It could be down there!” According to the source, “the talent and producers aren’t thrilled about it [and] it gives a competitive advantage to ‘Today,'” the show’s morning opponent. According to a different source, the move will not take place until 2025, thus it is not a major concern for ABC executives. “This is the news business,” the insider said. “Everyone is more worried about tomorrow than about next month.” “The city is the set,” they added. It’s terrific that Disney is making investments in a new cutting-edge facility that will be ideal for the show.” The relocation downtown will also enable producers, talent, and staff to collaborate under one roof. According to a different source, ABC News president Kim Godwin “made an effort to fight” the change but was unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Godwin is preparing for a town hall meeting next month, at which she is anticipated to address the decision, according to PageSix.
