Telemundo transforms Miami HQ for election coverage with AR/VR tech, newsroom set

Noticias Telemundo has transformed its Miami headquarters into an expansive election center, implementing a complex technical infrastructure to deliver comprehensive coverage of the 2024 U.S. presidential election across multiple platforms.

The network’s election night coverage, branded as “Decisión 2024,” will feature anchors Julio Vaqueiro and Arantxa Loizaga broadcasting from a custom-built set that has literally taken over the network’s newsroom in Telemundo Center. In total, Telemundo will utilize over 20,000 square feet and two studios for coverage, incorporating eight sets with physical and virtual environments.

A crew of approximately 150 converted part of the second-floor newsroom into a broadcast-ready space with 12 on-camera locations for election night. The production space features over 3,000 feet of painted light and integrates 8.5 million pixels of LED display technology through eight 4K screens, supported by over 250 lighting instruments.

The newsroom studio features a three-part curved anchor desk equipped with LED displays for delivering real-time election updates, key race alerts and state projections.

The set includes a 20-foot curved LED video wall complemented by three LED screen displays with integrated touchscreen capabilities. A 50-foot LED header spans the newsroom space to provide further opportunities for branding and alerts. 

Vertical Planar LookThru monitor towers on building columns and the ceiling provide additional visual elements.

On election night, augmented reality and virtual technology will further enhance the space.

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The center staircase of Telemundo Center serves as a backdrop for AR elements, including projected winners and “Camino a los 270” (Road to 270), which tracks the path to securing the presidency through electoral votes.

Telemundo has also implemented a 360-degree virtual environment inspired by the U.S. Capitol. This space is subdivided into four virtual sets incorporating parallax effects to enhance depth perception. Unreal Engine is powering the real-time rendering with integration in Vizrt for data visualization. 

Coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET on the Noticias Telemundo Ahora streaming channel before transitioning to the main network broadcast. Content will be distributed across streaming platforms including Peacock, Roku, YouTube, Samsung TV Plus and Fire TV, alongside social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.

Telemundo has positioned correspondents in key battleground states to ensure accurate reporting and will utilize data from the NBC News Decision Desk for real-time election results. The network’s T Verifica fact-checking platform will provide verification services in both Spanish and English through a WhatsApp chatbot.

Coverage continues through November 6, with morning broadcasts beginning at 6 a.m. ET on both streaming and network platforms.

The election night operation builds upon the capabilities of Telemundo Center, which opened in 2018 as the network’s broadcast and production hub, housing operations for Telemundo Deportes, Noticias Telemundo, Telemundo Studios and Universo.