The document summarizes the revamp of Star News Asia, including giving it a modern new on-air look and broadened content in May. It discusses the behind-the-scenes work involved, including upgrading systems, improving content and delivery, designing a new logo and graphics package, sourcing a new set, and overcoming challenges like carrying out the changes while still producing daily news. The new look was intended to support improved information delivery systems while modernizing graphics in parallel with the new set.

1. New Faces
STAR Feature
Star News Asia revamp Star News Asia had a facelift in May,with a modern new on-air look and broadened editorial content.
Star Voice talks to the people involved in this makeover project for some behind-the-scenes stories…
Gavin McDougall
Executive Producer,
Network News & Current Affairs
Star News Asia’s anchor Deborah Kan
must forgive me for the analogy but
when our relaunched programme
first aired on May 1, it truly was like
“labour day”. It felt as if a new child
had been born. After a long and tiring gestation period, we had given rise
to something that everyone could have pride in.
The new on-air look was really the culmination of a major revamp of almost
all facets of our news operation. Star News Asia (SNA) first aired on Star
World in January 2000 and it had changed little since then.
Thanks to the vision of Darren Breeze (VP, Broadcast Systems) and Andrew
Jackson (News Operations Manager) and with the support of STAR’s
management, we embarked on a major modernisation project, the start
of which was relocating the newsroom adjacent to Studio 7.We upgraded
our graphic creation and delivery systems. We also embarked on a long
process of improving the content, writing and delivery of the daily
news itself.
Changing the look and feel of SNA was the next phase. Bill Browning (EVP,
Network Creative Services) and his team designed the new logo and complete
graphics package.They also helped us work with Hong Kong-based musicians
in order to compose a unique new news theme. Paul O’Hanlon (SVP,
Production) and Gary Yeung (VP, Production Services) sourced the concept
and were instrumental in the design of the new set. Andrew Jackson,
Chewy Lai (Assistant Facilities Manager) and the studio crew led by Alan
Lau (Technical Director, Post Production) brought it all to fruition once
the set was installed.
As some of the other writers in this will attest, there were some major challenges to overcome in
this project, not the least of which was carrying out all of the above while still producing SNA daily.
For that, the credit goes to the SNA team who’ve faced each challenge with determine and patience.
Bill Browning | Executive VP, Network Creative Services
What we tried to do with the new look was to ensure that it offered improved support to SNA’s new
information delivery systems, while also modernising the graphics in parallel with the new set. The
logo itself was redesigned to give it enhanced presence and clarity. Designing a package to work
within SNA’s new hardware was one of the biggest challenges. Working with designers Keith Lun
and Richard Lo, a new modern design was created to take advantage of the new animation features
while giving the news a bright and contemporary look. Kelvin Ku (Senior Graphic Artist), Rita Fung
(Graphic Artist) and Eibmoz Kok (Broadcast News Designer) injected all of the SNA graphics into the
new hardware, creating animation for the daily news programme.
Our major test beyond completing the creative was balancing the workload of a new SNA service
that was launching just one day after the “new look ANTV” – itself one of the biggest challenges we
faced in 2006. Producing both for virtually the same deadline was an immense trial but one we endured and accomplished,
thanks in great part to the diligent work of the creative team.
Andrew Jackson
Operations Manager,
Network News & Current