ABC News’ Sunday morning public affairs program, “This Week,” has found a new home. Its New York-based editions now originate from Studio 4E in the newly opened Disney building at 7 Hudson Square. Sharing space with other prominent ABC News shows like “ABC World News Tonight” and “20/20,” “This Week” benefits from a unique design that incorporates and expands upon elements from its neighbours.
The show’s most noticeable feature is its redesigned L-shaped anchor desk. Rotated 45 degrees, it positions moderator George Stephanopoulos farther from the desk’s front than previous setups. This arrangement, along with a triangular extension, creates a powerful and dynamic visual, perfectly complementing the show’s sharp and focused discussions. The overall effect is reminiscent of a baseball diamond, a boomerang, or even a stealth fighter, far from the roundtables of previous iterations.
This distinctive desk is also utilized for the “Powerhouse Roundtable” segment. While the name might conjure images of a circular table, the show embraces a more flexible approach to panel discussions. “This Week” has previously used various round and half-round tables and desks, including those shared with “Good Morning America” and “GMA Weekend” in past studios. The new configuration allows for at least four, and possibly up to six, on-set guests with enhanced eye contact with the moderator. In contrast to older set-ups, the new design avoids the cluttered feel of many political shows, leaving camera positions open and visible, even in wide shots.
While the Washington, D.C., editions of the show, typically hosted by Martha Raddatz and Jonathan Karl, maintain the option of using both smaller round desks and additional curved segments for roundtable discussions, there is a notable upgrade in the visual aspects in the New York Studio. The Washington studio upgrades with LED elements in 2021 also provide a visual upgrade for remote guests.
For remote guests, the show uses a clever technique. Stephanopoulos appears to be looking at a large video wall, but actually sees a flat screen displaying a virtual recreation of the studio wall, with the remote guest’s image digitally inserted. The goal is to eventually integrate the remote feed seamlessly into the virtual wall for a more natural look.
The new studio design is the work of ABC set designer Seth Easter, with lighting design by Dennis Size of The Lighting Design Group, and AV integration by Fuse Technical Group using LEDs from DetaiLED Solutions. The multi-functional setup is shared with “WNT” and “20/20,” showcasing a cost-effective and efficient design.
“This Week” is primarily produced from New York to accommodate Stephanopoulos's schedule, often needed for “GMA” the following week. Washington, D.C. broadcasts, continue to feature the “with George Stephanopoulos” branding, with Raddatz or Karl’s names included as the rotating co-anchors of the segment.