Channel Ten debuts green-screen virtual studio powered by Unreal Engine amid network rebrand
The Como, NSW studio, Studio 1A, brings automated cameras and immersive graphics as Ten reshapes its news operation during a broader cost-cutting drive and schedule changes
Channel Ten unveiled a green-screen virtual studio described as Studio 1A, marking a bold step in the network’s push toward immersive, automated news production. The facility is designed to deliver adjustable backdrops, dynamic camera movements and real-time scene changes through a graphics platform powered by Unreal Engine, with the aim of creating a more flexible and visually engaging local news, sport and weather experience. Ten officials billed the studio as a forward-looking investment in commercial broadcasting innovation and said it would help anchor a broader rebrand and workflow refresh across the network.
News anchor Jennifer Keyte was photographed using the new setup in Ten’s Como, New South Wales, studio about two weeks prior to the public unveiling, underscoring the roll-out of the technology across the network. Ten vice president of News Martin White was quoted in coverage of the rollout as saying the new studio offers an unparalleled, immersive experience for audiences and that the introduction represents just the first step in the network’s modernization. A press release framed the facility as delivering “unmatched flexibility, advanced automation, and superior visual storytelling capabilities for news and beyond,” highlighting the integration of automated, remotely controlled cameras and an immersive graphics platform built on Unreal Engine. The document also emphasized that presenters would no longer be confined to fixed positions, enabling more dynamic engagement with viewers.
IMAGE: Channel Ten virtual studio
The technology narrative around Studio 1A is part of a wider shift at Channel Ten, which has been undergoing a series of structural changes and cost-control measures. In June, reports described Adelaide staff being offered relocation to interstate locations or facing redundancy, with two production workers at risk of losing their jobs unless they accepted moves to Sydney or Melbourne. The Advertiser reported that the relocations were part of a broader pattern of staff cuts and realignments across the network’s states, including similar measures in Brisbane and Perth. Management communications at the time indicated the goal was to streamline media management and editing workflows while preserving the network’s ability to deliver local news, even as the relocations were framed as not affecting local journalism or presentation in any direct way.
The staff shake-up occurred in the lead-up to a broader programmatic reconfiguration at Ten, including the decision to retire The Project after 16 years on air. The long-running program ended with a June 27 finale, and the network replaced it with a single national 6 p.m. news bulletin before launching a refreshed branding and programming slate under the Ten News umbrella. A new current-affairs show, 10 NEWS+, subsequently debuted as part of the network’s rebrand effort.
The convergence of Studio 1A’s high-tech approach with Ten’s cost-cutting and programming changes reflects a growing interest in virtual production and automation within television newsrooms. Industry observers note that Unreal Engine-powered graphics, automated cameras and remote workflows can reduce on-site staffing needs while enabling rapid scene changes and more visually complex presentation styles. While Ten has not detailed the exact staffing implications of the Studio 1A rollout, the project aligns with a broader global pattern in which broadcasters pursue efficiency through advanced software platforms, virtual sets and AI-assisted workflows alongside traditional reporting.
Taken together, Ten’s investments in Studio 1A and its ongoing reorganizations illustrate how technology and efficiency drives intersect with strategic programming decisions in today’s media landscape. The network’s emphasis on immersive visuals and flexible production processes positions it to adapt quickly to evolving audience expectations and industry competition, even as it coordinates a multi-faceted rebrand and restructuring that affects multiple markets. In the broader Technology & AI context, the move highlights how studios increasingly rely on automated systems, real-time graphics pipelines and AI-assisted production tools to deliver fast, visually compelling content across screens and platforms.