Author Topic: NBC to leave Burbank for new faclility (Read 7295 times)

tvrandywest · « **on:** October 11, 2007, 02:52:14 AM »

While approximately the same age as CBS TVCity, NBC's Burbank home has become a mish-mash of piecemeal refurbishings and add-ons to accommodate the net's new needs over the decades. NBC-Universal plans to sell that acreage and build anew across the street from Universal Studios on Lankershim.

L.A.Times
Hollywood Reporter
Curbed LA

Lost forever will be the artifacts, memories and hallowed air that remain from HS, LMAD, et al.

Randy
tvrandywest.com

narzo · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2007, 03:33:02 AM »

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' post=\'166264\' date=\'Oct 11 2007, 01:52 AM\']
While approximately the same age as CBS TVCity, NBC's Burbank home has become a mish-mash of piecemeal refurbishings and add-ons to accommodate the net's new needs over the decades. NBC-Universal plans to sell that acreage and build anew across the street from Universal Studios on Lankershim.

L.A.Times
Hollywood Reporter
Curbed LA

Lost forever will be the artifacts, memories and hallowed air that remain from HS, LMAD, et al.

Randy
tvrandywest.com
[/quote]

While I've attended a couple tapings there my favorite memories are from the NBC studio tour in 2001 where we:

saw a "history" videotape of NBC that hadn't been updated in at least 5 years since "americas talking" was still mentioned on it.

walked by a lot of studios where we were told "we can't go in there"

saw a TON of set props from "Days of our Lives"

saw the unclaimed prize area from the old game shows (an arena of 80's era furniture people were right to pass up)

RIP: NBC burbank, but it's time to go. It was dated then and I can only imagine how much more so now.

colonial · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2007, 09:18:33 AM »

While in Burbank for the Game Show Congress last year, the Mrs. and I decided to head to NBC one morning and take a studio tour. The experience left a lot to be desired, and echo Narzo's comments times three.

Like Narzo, we saw the "history of NBC" video at the start of the tour. And yes, America's Talking was still on it.

While walking down one hallway, our guide pointed out posters showcasing what she called "the hottest NBC shows on air." This included "Weakest Link" and "American Dreams," both of which were long canceled. She also pointed us out to a picture of the "best team in the morning," a picture that included Katie Couric, who had already left the Peacock.

90 percent of the tour was devoted to "Days of Our Lives." If you like the soap this will thrill you to no end (Look! Sami's wedding dress! Marlena's apartment! Props from Doug and Julie's nightclub!). If you don't care about the soap -- you will be bored.

Nine percent was devoted to "The Tonight Show." We visited the set, saw a bench used in skits (

), as well as Kevin Eubanks' parking space.

The final one percent concerned the tour guide talking about surviving the Northridge Earthquake -- she kept talking about it every 10-15 minutes or so.

One strange highlight was a series of signs hanging from the ceiling. A few looked pretty normal -- Restrooms, Studio 2, etc. -- but there a few signs that directed people to "Howie Mandel." I had the urge to ask the tour guide if NBC had Mandel locked in a closet somewhere between DoND tapings, but I just couldn't do it. Besides, she would just change the subject to the earthquake.

(Turns out Mandel taped his long-defunct daytime chat show at NBC and the signs were never updated)

James

SRIV94 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 11, 2007, 10:13:08 AM »

Now, I had quite the opposite experience.

The morning tour I took in 2005 afforded me the opportunity to go inside Studio 1 (currently occupied by ACCESS HOLLYWOOD, until the new place goes up). And standing directly on the star that marked where Johnny Carson delivered his nightly monologues was a nice high.

Yes, I missed that year's Congress pilgrimage to TPiR to do that. And while I was kicking myself mentally for doing so, I can't help but admit that seeing Studio 1 up close and personal almost made up for it.

byrd62 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 11, 2007, 10:49:33 AM »

This Variety article reports that, in addition to NBC planning a move from Burbank to just across from the Universal lot, CBS could relocate from Television City to Studio Center [on Radford Ave. in Studio City], just like their Los Angeles TV stations [CBS-2 and KCAL-9] did last fall. No more Bob Barker Studio?

www.variety.com/article/VR1117973843.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

cmjb13 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 11, 2007, 02:46:18 PM »

[quote name=\'byrd62\' post=\'166300\' date=\'Oct 11 2007, 10:49 AM\']
This Variety article reports that, in addition to NBC planning a move from Burbank to just across from the Universal lot, CBS could relocate from Television City to Studio Center [on Radford Ave. in Studio City], just like their Los Angeles TV stations [CBS-2 and KCAL-9] did last fall. No more Bob Barker Studio?

www.variety.com/article/VR1117973843.html?categoryid=14&cs=1
[/quote]
Actually mentioned a few years ago (please don't take that as being smarky)

I'm not sure the status, but I know they were building offices (at least for) Moonves to move into on that lot.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #6 on:** October 11, 2007, 05:55:36 PM »

Well...I guess downtown Burbank won't be as beautiful now...

chris319 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 11, 2007, 06:14:05 PM »

I'm surprised CBS didn't move years ago. They're boxed in to the East and South, especially so now that The Grove is there. NBC is on a huge parcel of land into which they could expand even further.

Chief-O · « **Reply #8 on:** October 11, 2007, 06:32:10 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'166389\' date=\'Oct 11 2007, 05:23 PM\']
I'm surprised CBS didn't move years ago. They're boxed in to the East and South, especially so now that The Grove is there.
[/quote]

If anything, they'd probably just close the original building. The add-on is [still] an enormously popular facility. Yes, the offices could be moved to a new location. Heck, most of what's taped there could be relocated [whether TPIR could, I don't know].

tpirfan28 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 11, 2007, 06:37:04 PM »

The utter idiot in me says they should leave TPIR at TV City if they do move. It's a known fact that all of TPIR's stuff (80+ games, oodles of prizes, etc.) takes up a TON of room...with the soaps gone, there will be tons of room for Price.

clarkh · « **Reply #10 on:** October 11, 2007, 11:18:49 PM »

I remember reading somewhere that Calif. has been trying to persuade media companies to offer any surplus production facilities for sale to companies that will keep them operating, as a way to preserve employment in that industry.

This means the "Color City" lot in Burbank stands a good chance of remaining, albeit under new management.

The same would likely happen should CBS move out of Television City, which has the advantage of remaining an in-demand rental facility.

tvrandywest · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2007, 12:33:25 AM »

More plans for NBC's new West Coast project are mentioned here

There will be a big focus on combining the news facilities for NBC, MSNBC and CNBC. Also look for a streetside studio like in N.Y for Today's and Nightly News' visits. As mentioned earlier, The Tonight Show will remain in Burbank's studio 3 in a lease-back deal with the prospective buyer, and will move to the Universal lot when Conan heads West. I'm encouraged that there's no mention of Carson Daly's silly show!

Randy
tvrandywest.com

chris319 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2007, 05:39:19 AM »

Quote

I'm encouraged that there's no mention of Carson Daly's silly show!

Bah, I'd rather have 10,000 Carson Dalys than one Conan.

SRIV94 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2007, 11:22:07 AM »

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' post=\'166464\' date=\'Oct 11 2007, 11:33 PM\']
As mentioned earlier, The Tonight Show will remain in Burbank's studio 3 in a lease-back deal with the prospective buyer, and will move to the Universal lot when Conan heads West. [/quote]

Perhaps someone can debunk or confirm--there was a rumor circulating a while back that Leno was getting cold feet about abdicating the TONIGHT SHOW to Conan. Was it only a rumor, or does that prospect still possibly have legs?

DjohnsonCB · « **Reply #14 on:** October 12, 2007, 11:40:45 AM »

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'166490\' date=\'Oct 12 2007, 10:22 AM\']
[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' post=\'166464\' date=\'Oct 11 2007, 11:33 PM\']
As mentioned earlier, The Tonight Show will remain in Burbank's studio 3 in a lease-back deal with the prospective buyer, and will move to the Universal lot when Conan heads West. [/quote]

Perhaps someone can debunk or confirm--there was a rumor circulating a while back that Leno was getting cold feet about abdicating the TONIGHT SHOW to Conan. Was it only a rumor, or does that prospect still possibly have legs?
[/quote]
I'm pretty sure Conan's "Tonight Show" takeover is an irreversable done deal. Maybe NBC could arrange for Leno to do a one-hour show in prime time, say, 10-11 ET once or twice a week which would retain his "Headlines" bit and a few others, plus celeb and non-celeb interviews. That, more or less, is what Jack Paar did after he left "Tonight" but later returned to NBC.