NBC Studios (New York City)

NBC Studios
30 Rockefeller Plaza as seen from the Citigroup Center at dusk
Map
Former namesNBC Radio City Studios
General information
TypeTelevision Studios Complex
Location
  • New York City
  • United States
Owner
Design and construction
DeveloperRadio Corporation of America

NBC Studios are located in the historic 30 Rockefeller Plaza (on Sixth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets) in Manhattan, New York City. The building houses the NBC television network headquarters, its parent NBCUniversal, and NBC's flagship station WNBC (Channel 4), as well as cable news channel MSNBC.

The first NBC Radio City Studios began operating in the early 1930s. Tours of the studios began in 1933, suspended in 2014 and resumed on October 26, 2015. Because of the preponderance of radio studios, that section of the Rockefeller Center complex became known as Radio City (and gave its name to Radio City Music Hall).

Current studio spaces

[edit]
Today Studio 1A set in 2019
Studio Production Notes Floor Size[1]
1A Today and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt Since 1994, the network's morning program is produced at a ground-level, windowed studio across 49th Street from 30 Rockefeller Plaza at 10 Rockefeller Plaza; it was previously broadcast from inside 30 Rock. Studio 1A is a multilevel studio; the upstairs portion contains a kitchen used for cooking segments. The studio was also used by WNBC's Live at Five, MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann,[2] and NBC Nightly News for a short period during the decontamination of the broadcast's facilities and offices in October 2001 due to the 2001 anthrax attacks. After a minor renovation that started in mid-August 2021, Today debuted on September 7, 2021, with a new desk and flooring to Studio 1A.[3] Nightly News moved to the studio on September 13, 2021.[4] Ground floor 2,430 sq ft (226 m2)
3A MSNBC main studios Debuted on October 22, 2007, and is the home to many MSNBC programs. A newsroom connects Studio 3A and Studio 3C. Former home of NBC Nightly News. A new set debuted on September 20, 2021, with Deadline: White House.[5] 3rd floor 4,794 sq ft (445.4 m2)
3B East WNBC Studio 3B was the former home of the Huntley-Brinkley Report,[6] the NBC daytime serial The Doctors,[7] Today, Dateline NBC, NBC Nightly News, and coverage of the 2008 presidential election. Since Nightly left the space in 2017, 3B would be used for pre-taped segments and interviews. At 4,060 sq ft (377 m2), 3B was the last 30 Rock studio that had kept its original dimensions since the building's 1933 opening. In August 2022, NBC confirmed plans to divide the space equally into two studios for its New York stations' news operations.[8] WNBC would move into 3B East on November 3, 2023; Telemundo station WNJU is slated to move its newscasts into 3B West in late 2024.[9] 3rd floor 2,030 sq ft (189 m2)
3B West WNJU (tentative) 3rd Floor 2,030 sq ft (189 m2)
3C NBC News NOW, Top Story with Tom Llamas Formerly the home of NBC Nightly News from November 8, 1999, to October 23, 2011; however the studio's size decreased significantly during the 2007 renovations which connected it with 3A. From April 21, 2012, until October 9, 2016, WNBC originated from this studio.[10] Nightly News began using the space again in July 2017 following additional renovations that led to it being referred to as "3A West". Nightly News moved in with Today in Studio 1A in September 2021.[4] 3C now acts as the main home for NBC News' streaming network, including its noon program NBC News Daily, which airs on affiliates in the country, and evening program Top Story with Tom Llamas. 3rd floor 1,310 sq ft (122 m2)
3K vacant 3K was formed by combining former radio studio 3F and studio 3H. 3H was the first studio in the building to be converted for television production, being converted in 1935 and serving as NBC Television's lone studio[11] until the conversion of Studio 8G in 1948. The former home of NBC Nightly News, NBC Sports, Today, The Ed Show, The Howdy Doody Show, NBC News at Sunrise, The Gabby Hayes Show, Early Today, All in with Chris Hayes, The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, Dateline NBC, and from October 9, 2016, until November 2, 2023, WNBC's News 4 New York.[12][13][9] 3rd floor 2,668 sq ft (247.9 m2)
4E MSNBC newsroom and studio, Dateline NBC, Early Today A new newsroom and studio for MSNBC, built in early 2016, is located in the northeast corner of the building, with windows overlooking West 50th St and Rockefeller Plaza. The glassed-in studio in the corner is designated Studio 4E, but shows also originate from the various locations in the newsroom area, which connects to the 3rd and 5th floors via a stairway. 4th floor
6A The Kelly Clarkson Show The 6th and 7th floors of the studio building were left unfinished when NBC first occupied the space in 1933, and Studios 6A and 6B were not built until November 1941.[14] Former home of Twenty-One,[15] Say When!!, The Tomorrow Show,[16] The David Letterman Show,[17] Late Night with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Dr. Oz Show, 6A was the first 30 Rock studio to be converted for high-definition television. In August 2013, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon moved into this space while Studio 6B underwent renovations for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[18] From September 2014 to May 2016, Meredith Vieira's daytime talk show, The Meredith Vieira Show, originated from this studio as well. In the summer of 2016, Maya & Marty, a variety show that featured Maya Rudolph and Martin Short also originated from this studio. Megyn Kelly Today then occupied the space from 2017 to 2018. On July 13, 2020, The Tonight Show used Studio 6A for its first studio-produced episodes since the beginning of the pandemic, and remained until March 19, 2021, when it went back to Studio 6B.[19]

The Kelly Clarkson Show relocated to Studio 6A from the Universal Studios Lot in Los Angeles, beginning with the 2023–24 season.[20]

6th floor 3,504 sq ft (325.5 m2)
6B The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon The former home of Broadway Open House,[21] Bob Hope's radio program,[22] the television version of Texaco Star Theater,[23] The Ernie Kovacs Show,[24] Tic Tac Dough, Tonight Starring Jack Paar, Play Your Hunch, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC Nightly News, The Bell Telephone Hour, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and the former studio for flagship station WNBC. Fallon returned to the studio on March 22, 2021. 6th floor 3,690 sq ft (343 m2)
6E Global Media Insert studio[25] Consists of four small spaces. Former home of Early Today and MSNBC's secondary studio. This space was previously a portion of WNBC's Master Control. From January 6 until March 13, 2020, it was used for E!'s E! News and Pop of the Morning.[26][27] 6th floor
8G Late Night with Seth Meyers A former radio studio converted for television use in 1948, it went on air on April 22 of that year.[28] Former home of Today, The Phil Donahue Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, The Caroline Rhea Show, The Amber Ruffin Show, The Jane Pauley Show, and Football Night in America, as well as the original Concentration and Jeopardy! which recorded their color episodes on alternating days/weeks from 1964 to 1975. NBC Nightly News used this studio during the 2007 renovations of NBC News headquarters, except on some Sunday evenings where, due to football programming, the news was broadcast from Studio 1A. This studio has also been used for 2008 and 2010 election night coverage. 8th floor 2,280 sq ft (212 m2)
8H Saturday Night Live Studio 8H was, at the time of construction, the world's largest radio studio. It was converted to television use in 1950 (however, it had hosted television broadcasts prior to conversion, namely simulcasts of The Voice of Firestone). Former home of Kraft Television Theater and other live dramas, election night coverage, Last Call with Carson Daly, Later, and the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. Used for offsite coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics and for the "Live Show" and "Live from Studio 6H" episodes of 30 Rock. 8H was also the temporary home to Football Night in America during the 2013 NFL season. Has been home to SNL continuously since 1975. 8th floor 3,955 sq ft (367.4 m2)

Shows produced at NBC Studios New York

[edit]
30 Rockefeller Plaza is the world headquarters of NBC.
Ground-level entrance
Marquee from the side

Among the shows originating at 30 Rockefeller Plaza (shows taping as of the 2023–2024 season in bold):

Program Network/Station Dates Studio
The 11th Hour MSNBC 2016–present 3A
30 Rock NBC 2010 and 2012 8H (Live episodes)
All In with Chris Hayes MSNBC 2013–present 3K, 4E, 6A, 3A
Ayman MSNBC 2021–present 3C
The Amber Ruffin Show Peacock 2020–2022 8G
Call My Bluff NBC 1965 6A
The Caroline Rhea Show Syndication 2002–2003 8G
Charge Account/Jan Murray Show NBC 1960–1962 6B
Concentration NBC 1958–1973 3A, 6A, 8G
Countdown with Keith Olbermann MSNBC 2007–2011 1A
The Crossover NBC Sports Network 2013–2014 8G
The Cycle MSNBC 2012–2015 3A, 3K
Dateline NBC NBC 1992–present 3A, 3B, 3K, 4E
The David Letterman Show NBC 1980 6A
Deadline: White House MSNBC 2017–present 4E, 3A
The Doctors NBC 1963–1982 3B, 3A
Dough Re Mi NBC 1958–1960 6A
Dr. Nancy MSNBC 2009 3A
The Dr. Oz Show Syndication 2009–2012 6A
E! News E! 2020 6E
Early Today NBC 2007–present 3K, 6E, 4E
The Ed Show MSNBC 2009–2015 3K, 3A
Eye Guess NBC 1966–1969 6A
Football Night in America NBC 2006–2014 8G, 8H
He Said, She Said Syndication 1969–1970 8H
House Party with Steve Doocy Syndication 1990 6A
How to Survive a Marriage NBC 1974–1975 8G
Howdy Doody NBC 1947–1960 3A, 3H, 3K, 8G
Huntley-Brinkley Report NBC 1956–1970 6B, 5HN, 8G
Jackpot NBC 1974–1975 8G
The Jane Pauley Show Syndication 2004–2005 8G
Jeopardy! NBC 1964–1975 8G
The Kelly Clarkson Show Syndication 2023–present 6A
The Kids Tonight Show Peacock 2021 6A
Last Call with Carson Daly NBC 2002–2005 8H
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell MSNBC 2011–present 3K, 4E
Late Night
(David Letterman and Conan O'Brien)
NBC 1982–2009 6A
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon NBC 2009–2014 6B, 6A
Late Night with Seth Meyers NBC 2014–present 8G
Later with Bob Costas NBC 1988–1994 8H
Live at Five WNBC 1980–2007 6B
The Match Game NBC 1962–1969 8H
Maya & Marty NBC 2016 6A
Megyn Kelly Today NBC 2017–2018 6A
The Meredith Vieira Show Syndication 2014–2016 6A
Top Story with Tom Llamas NBC News Now 2021–present 4E
Missing Links NBC 1963–1964 6A
Morning Joe MSNBC 2007–present 3A
Morning Meeting with Dylan Ratigan MSNBC 2009 3A
MSNBC Reports (Formerly MSNBC Live) MSNBC 2007–present 3A, 4E
NBC News at Sunrise NBC 1983–1999 3K
NBC Nightly News NBC 1970–present 8G, 3K, 3B, 3C, 1A
NBC Sports studio shows NBC 1947–2014 6A, 3K, 8G
News 4 New York WNBC 1941–present 3B, 6B, 7E, 3C, 3K
PDQ (New York shows) Syndication 1965–1969 8G
Personality NBC 1967–1969 6A
The Phil Donahue Show Syndication 1985–1996 8G
Play Your Hunch NBC 1959–1963 6B
Pop of the Morning E! 2020 6E
Reach for the Stars NBC 1967 6A
The Rachel Maddow Show MSNBC 2008–present 3A
Rock Center with Brian Williams NBC 2011–2013 3B
The Rosie O'Donnell Show Syndication 1996–2002 8G
Sale of the Century NBC, Syndication 1969–1974 8H
Saturday Night Live NBC 1975–present 8H
Say When!! NBC 1961–1965 6A
Shoot for the Stars NBC 1977 6A
Split Personality NBC 1959–1960 6A
That Was the Week That Was NBC 1963–1965 6A, 8H (live)
Tic Tac Dough NBC 1956–1959 8G, 6B
Today NBC 1952–present 3K, 8G, 6A, 3B, 1A
To Tell the Truth Syndication 1971–1978; 1980–1981 8G, 8H, 6A
The Tonight Show
(Jack Paar and Johnny Carson)
NBC 1957–1972 6B
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon NBC 2014–present 6B, 6A
Three on a Match NBC 1971-1974 6A
Treasure Hunt NBC 1957–1959 8G
Twenty-One NBC 1956–1958 6A, 6B
Up MSNBC 2011–2013 3A
Verdict with Dan Abrams MSNBC 2007–2008 3A
What's My Line? Syndication 1971–1975 6A
The Who, What, or Where Game NBC 1969–1974 6A, 8H
Way Too Early MSNBC 2009–2016 3A
Word for Word NBC 1963–1964 6A
You're Putting Me On NBC 1969 6A

Other locations

[edit]

Some other New York originated programs are/were produced elsewhere in the area, including:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "NBC NY Studios". Universal Studios Lot. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  2. ^ "Station Dedicated to Train Conductor Who Died Saving Passengers From Fire". Archived from the original on September 27, 2008.
  3. ^ "Studio 1A gets curvy update designed to unify 'Today' space's look". NewscastStudio. September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "'NBC Nightly News' moves to Studio 1A, with its graphics still a work in progress". NewscastStudio. September 13, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  5. ^ "MSNBC unveils reimagined Studio 3A with 'Deadline: White House'". NewscastStudio. September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  6. ^ "NBCNews.com Video Player". NBC News. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013.
  7. ^ Barmash, Jerry (October 19, 2011). "WNBC/Channel 4 Making the Move to Nightly News Studio". FishbowlNY. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  8. ^ Hill, Michael P. (August 9, 2022). "NBC News confirms plans to split Studio 3B into two spaces". newscaststudio.com. HD Media Ventures LLC. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "WNBC moves into its half of the newly-split Studio 3B," from 'NewscastStudio.com, June 11, 2023
  10. ^ "NBC New York debuts new studio, graphics, music". NewscastStudio. April 22, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  11. ^ http://www.eyesofageneration.com/Archives_NBC_ND8G.php Archived August 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine "It is approximately three times as large as 3H, the studio out of which NBC Television has been operating since 1935."
  12. ^ "NBCStudio3KCntrlRmDemo.JPG". flickr.com. May 6, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  13. ^ "NBC New York debuts new home, gains more space at 30 Rock". newscaststudio.com. October 10, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  14. ^ "RCA Review" (PDF). American Radio History. Radio Corporation of America. January 1942. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  15. ^ Interview with Herb Stempel ([1]).
  16. ^ "NBC Studio 6A TmrrwShw 1976.jpg". flickr.com. May 26, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  17. ^ "David Letterman Says Goodbye to Mornings". Splitsider.com. February 27, 2015. Archived from the original on June 2, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  18. ^ Bond, Paul (May 7, 2013). "NBC Dumps $25 Million Jimmy Fallon NYC 'Tonight Show' Studio". The Hollywood Reporter.
  19. ^ White, Peter (July 13, 2020). "'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' Returns To Studio; Gov. Cuomo Welcomes Him Back To The City". Deadline. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  20. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (May 8, 2023). "'The Kelly Clarkson Show' Moving Cross Country From Universal Lot to 30 Rock". Variety. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  21. ^ "Milton Delugg Interview". Classic Television Showbiz. 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
  22. ^ "David Letterman interview with Bob Hope". Late Night with David Letterman. NBC. 1985. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  23. ^ "Tom Snyder interview with Milton Berle". The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder. CBS. 1998. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  24. ^ "The David Letterman Show, Interview with Bill Wendell (2 min, 13 second mark)". Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2015 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ "Universal Studios Lot".
  26. ^ "E! News expands offerings, moves into new NYC home". NewscastStudio. January 17, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  27. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 5, 2020). "'E! News', 'Pop Of The Morning', 'In The Room' Canceled By E!". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  28. ^ "Television cameras were the Eyes Of A Generation; this is Television history the way they saw it". eyesofageneration.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  29. ^ "Ambassador Back Oct. 2 As Legitimate Theater". New York Herald Tribune. July 14, 1956. p. 4. ProQuest 1337527525.
  30. ^ Ticket for November 11, 1965 taping of Hullabaloo, oldtvtickets.com.
  31. ^ Ticket for January 30, 1966 taping of The Sammy Davis Jr. Show, oldtvtickets.com.
  32. ^ "RCA-NBC Firsts in Color Television". novia.net. Archived from the original on February 6, 2006.
  33. ^ Ticket for May 21, 1955 telecast of The Imogene Coca Show, oldtvtickets.com.
  34. ^ Ticket for May 29, 1955 telecast of Mr. Peepers oldtvtickets.com.
  35. ^ Tickets for June 18 and August 13, 1958 telecasts of Treasure Hunt, oldtvtickets.com.
  36. ^ Ticket for November 30, 1956 telecast of The Walter Winchell Show, oldtvtickets.com
  37. ^ Tickets for February 21 and April 11, 1961 telecasts of The Price Is Right, oldtvtickets.com.
  38. ^ "Colonial Theater". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  39. ^ Tickets for October 20, 1954, and June 28, August 28, and November 30, 1956 telecasts of Tonight starring Steve Allen, oldtvtickets.com.
  40. ^ Ticket for October 23, 1957 telecast of Tonight Starring Jack , oldtvtickets.com.
  41. ^ "U.S. Steel-Carnegie Pension's 'Block' Threatens Porn Site; Hudson As Non-Profit Legit?". Variety. Vol. 178, no. 5. March 12, 1975. pp. 3, 75. ProQuest 1285992414.
  42. ^ Piepenburg, Erik (February 2, 2017). "The Hudson Theater Is Back on Broadway". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  43. ^ Ticket for October 3, 1951 telecast of The Freddy Martin Show, oldtvtickets.com.
  44. ^ "International Theater". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  45. ^ "NBC Acquires Times Square Radio Studio: Former Home of Ziegfeld 'Follies' Transformed Into Elaborate Broadcasting Theater". The Hartford Courant. February 23, 1930. p. E12. ProQuest 557797201.
  46. ^ Gershenson, Adam (January 31, 1999). "F.Y.I." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  47. ^ Ticket for March 12, 1957 telecast of Hold That Note, oldtvtickets.com.
  48. ^ Ticket for August 13, 1958 telecast of Haggis Baggis, oldtvtickets.com.
  49. ^ Ticket for August 9, 1960 telecast of The Price Is Right, oldtvtickets.com.
[edit]

40°45′32″N 73°58′44″W / 40.759°N 73.979°W / 40.759; -73.979