NBC Leaving Burbank? Say it ain't so!!!

After spending over 50+ years in beautiful downtown Burbank, NBC is packing up its West Coast operations (including their news division, KNBC-TV, and syndicated TV shows) and moving them to the Universial Studios lot in Studio City in 2011 where they will construct a set of state of the art TV studios.

Man, so much history at their current location (first color TV broadcasts back in the 1950's, LAUGH-IN, Hollywood SauqTonight Show, Wheel of Fortune, Password, Bob Hope Specials, etc.). Hopefully I will get a chance to get out there and check it out before they move (see a show taping their or take a tour) . .

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NBC leaving Burbank

‘The Tonight Show’ and other heavyweights on the network that draw city business would go to Universal City in 2011.

By Jeremy Oberstein

BURBANK — NBC said good night to Burbank on Thursday, leaving some residents and city officials wary of its absence and others excited about new and different possibilities.

The 56-year relationship between NBC and Burbank is coming to an end, as the studio plans to move its operations to Universal City in 2011, officials announced.


The move will include “The Tonight Show” studios and all news operations, including KNBC, Spanish language television KVEA and “Access Hollywood,” NBC announced.

The network plans to build a multilevel, environmentally friendly production facility across the street from Universal Studios.

The project will integrate the latest in energy- and water-efficient technologies. It will also feature a technologically advanced studio with HD news and Internet capabilities, officials said.

But many in Burbank are wondering of the effects such a move will have on the city, not the environment.

Burbank’s transition to a media center was formed more than 70 years ago. In the early 1930s, Warner Bros. moved to Burbank. In 1940, the Walt Disney Co. followed suit, and in 1951 NBC moved to Burbank.

But while NBC may have helped make Burbank the “media capital of the world,” its loss won’t change the city’s status, Burbank Chamber of Commerce President Gary Olson said.

Burbank’s reputation as the media capital was cemented and continues to gain traction as the city is home to hundreds of media companies, Olson said.

“I don’t see any noticeable [economic] impact on Burbank,” he said. “We have to take a look at what we still have. Disney is here, Warner Bros. is here, and I don’t think they’re going anywhere any time soon. Plus, we have more than 700 ancillary media companies operating in Burbank. I think the marquee as ‘the media capital of the world’ still prevails.

“‘The Tonight Show’ is the big [loss], but NBC leases out space to ‘[The] Ellen [DeGeneres Show]’ and ‘Days of Our Lives,’ so there will be a certain amount of stability.”

John Flynn, a retired NBC newscaster and Burbank resident, was less optimistic about Burbank’s reputation.

“It’s certainly going to affect the view of the city as the entertainment capital,” he said. “It can’t help but be diminished.”

Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos reflected on the loss of “The Tonight Show” with an eye toward the future.

“While this is certainly a significant loss to the city of Burbank, I strongly believe we have positioned ourselves to be ready to welcome a new media and technology corporation,” she said. “The next media player that might walk through our door [will see that] we have invested heavily in fiber-optics, and our tax structure is very favorable.

“When one door closes, another door opens, if you’ve laid good foundation.”

Ramos, though not surprised by the move, was dubious of its approval.

“The project hasn’t even been approved. I don’t know if there will be support to move forward,” she said. “This needs all kinds of approval, and politically, it’s not going well.”

NBC officials declined to comment, spokesman Nate Curtman said.

The news of NBC’s move was a topic of discussion as people waited in line Thursday to see “The Tonight Show.”

DeeAnn Tokar, a tourist from Cleveland, said people would get used to the move.

“I think that people won’t like it at first, but it’s just a matter of getting used to it,” she said. “It’s a brand new start.”

Emily Lopez, a Fort Worth, Texas, resident who was sitting nearby, felt the move slighted a historical institution.

“I hate to lose all the tradition,” she said. “You can take all the [mementos] with you, but you can’t take the history.”

Businesses in the area gave mixed reviews.

“It’s unfortunate to lose the consistent NBC workers,” said Vince Oganesyan, a general manager at the Mobil across the street. “But our main business is not ‘The Tonight Show,’ so it won’t make a drastic difference.”

Beatriz Martinez, owner of A&O Liquor, also across the street from NBC, was not as positive about her store’s future.

“It will definitely affect us,” she said. “We rely on ‘The Tonight Show’ for maybe 50% of our business. We might consider selling the store when they leave.”