NBC Chicago anchors were left standing in front of a black video wall after a technical glitch. Near the end of WMAQ’s 4pm newscast on February 1, 2022, co-anchors Marion Brooks and Stefan Holt were reading a story about the upcoming Super Bowl LVI with related B-roll running fullscreen when the picture suddenly dropped out.
“It’s going to be quite the show,” Holt said, somewhat ironically given that the screen had gone to black. The control room then cut back to the pair at standing at the video wall, where there was presumably supposed to be some kind of graphic or video behind them. “Someone forgot to pay the power bill,” joked Holt, gesturing to the blank LED panels behind him.
WMAQ added the L-shaped video wall installation in 2021. The two walls, which meet at a 90-degree angle, are often used for standups, sports and other segments.
