WRTV now has what no other station in Indianapolis has: a permanent street-level studio.

The ABC-affiliate announced today plans to open a permanent, glass-enclosed studio in downtown Indianapolis.

The space, located on Monument Circle in the center of the city, is in the Emmis Communications building, the home of local news/talk radio station WIBC.  Last November, WRTV and WIBC launched a news-gathering partnership.

“We are very pleased to take our partnership with WIBC to the next level,” WRTV vice president and general manager Larry Blackerby said, announcing the plans for the studio.

“The addition of the TV studio downtown offers us a unique opportunity to broaden our news capabilities,” Blackerby added.  “It is part of our expanding news coverage plans and gives our viewers and listeners an exciting view of the iconic center of our city.”

Monument Circle was home to many of the festivities when Indianapolis hosted the Super Bowl earlier this year.

WRTV’s headquarters are located just outside of the downtown area, about a mile from the studio.  The station’s first broadcast from the studio was a special half-hour program on April 28th that covered a festival happening at Monument Circle.

[WRTV]