New ABC 7 graphics with re-debut of “Eyewitness News” branding. Screenshot courtesy of ABC7Chicago.com.
Over the weekend, WLS-TV/ABC 7 quietly re-introduced the iconic “Eyewitness News” monicker. The new branding, “ABC 7 Eyewitness News” will be used for all local newscasts on the station. The re-brand effort includes a new graphics package and slight altercations to the theme music.
While I do like the clean design of the new graphics and the use of various blues, I don’t like how the lower scrolling headlines is placed. Not only is the text overly small, but by having it attached with the main graphics plate above, I couldn’t help but feel slightly overstimulated with text. It would look much nicer if the headlines scroll was its own separate graphic pinned to the bottom of the screen like it had been before (and is normal practice elsewhere).
The “Eyewitness News” re-brand effort was initially reported on Oct. 16 by Robert Feder. I followed up the following day with my own added thoughts (my initial hunch that ABC 7 would not change its theme music was wrong).