Today, WNET.org—the parent company of Channel 13 as well as WLIW Channel 21—opened new street-level studios at Lincoln Center today. The new, glassy space, at Broadway and West 66th Street, will give passers-by and public broadcasting nerds a chance to see tapings of shows. WNET CEO and President Neal Shapiro told the NY Times, "This is truly a metaphor for what we want to be in New York. We want to be transparent about the things we do and we want to be facing out to the public. Here we are in the center of arts and culture."
A new program, "Need to Know," covering "national cross-media news and public affairs," will be produced there starting next month; other shows like SundayArts and MetroFocus, as well as introductions and cut-ins for Reel13 and Great Performances, will also be filmed there. And Lincoln Center President Reynold Levy is pleased about the new addition, "WNET.ORG’s new transparent, street-side studios are emblematic of Lincoln Center’s overall plan to transform our 16 acres of space by integrating the superb arts programming and activities offered here on a daily basis with the life of New York City. We’re looking forward to expanding our long-standing partnership with the station by taking advantage of the creative opportunities that proximity affords.”
The space was actually first meant for retail, so the designers had their challengers. a+i design architect Bradley Zizmor said, "I ;ooked at it as a New York City apartment renovation. You don’t have as many square feet as you would like, but it’s a great location."
Photograph of Comptroller John Liu, WNET.org Chairman Emeritus Steven Rattner, WNET.org President & CEO Neal Shapiro, WNET.org Chairman, James S. Tisch, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts President Reynold Levy, and Councilwoman Gale Brewer opening the new studios
