‘Evening News’ weather segment showcases virtual tech

After sliding into the spotlight on CBS’s news streamer’s new whip around news program, the network gave its updated virtual environment technology a spin on the “CBS Evening News.”

Bill Kelly, the chief meteorologist at CBS-owned KYW in Philadelphia joined the broadcast from the station’s chroma key cyc that’s been outfitted with augmented and virtual reality powered by Zero Density and Unreal Engine.

Kelly took viewers on a brief tour of both sides of the country, showcasing record temperatures on the virtual map of the U.S. that appeared below his feet. 

Ringed temperature labels spiked out of each city’s location. 

Kelly mentioned Death Valley’s temperature, but it wasn’t shown on the graphic, an omission he noted.

The map graphic is notably similar to the ones used on weather segments for the streaming newscast “CBS News 24/7” that runs on the network’s news streamer of the same name.

Surrounding the map were large simulated windows featuring the Philadelphia skyline.

The segment is similar to the ones that The Weather Channel produces for CBS News as part of a partnership formally announced in 2022.

Since then, CBS News also launched its own in-house weather unit in April 2024, though the network told NewscastStudio at the time that it would continue to rely on the WXC deal for segments as well. 

CBS News and Stations has ramped up green screen studios at KPIX in San Francisco and KYW that mirror a similar installation in New York. NYC handles production of one edition of the “24/7” broadcast with KPIX handling another.