Redesign at Sky News to reflect ‘transparent’ ethos

Sky News has embarked on a £500 000 redesign, the first phase of which was unveiled last week.

Created in-house, the revamp is a complete overhaul of the studio interior and on-air identity.

The project has been brought forward in light of the attacks on the US, says head of Sky News creative services Matthew Baxter. The first phase of the revamp involves a remodelled studio, the centrepiece of which is a 24-screen video news wall, with a total length of 7m, which will be used to display graphics and live pictures.

‘The news wall will be a useful tool as geography, terrain and international diplomacy will lead the news for some months,’ Baxter explains.

The studio has been made lighter and more open, with slimmer desks and bigger windows into the newsroom, designed to reflect the ‘transparency of Sky News’ operation’.

The second phase of the redesign, which goes live on 1 October, will include a new graphic style, designed to make it easier for viewers to follow news as it unfolds, and an updated logo.

The budget for the project has been set at ‘about £500 000’, though the total cost has yet to be finalised, Baxter says.

‘Sky News has some unique qualities that it wasn’t doing justice to. It is direct and open and transparent. The chief addition is the news wall, a powerful device for telling stories. The technicalities of stories can be brought out in a way that is informative and interesting. It also enhances the mood of the studio,’ says Baxter.