WINK News unveils high-tech studio, boosting community reach

WINK News has unveiled its new state-of-the-art studio, marking a significant milestone for the station and the community it serves.

The expansive facility offers 63,000 square feet of space for both radio and TV operations, featuring a 5,000 square foot studio equipped with cutting-edge technology.

"It still has the fresh studio smell when you walk inside, seeing the cameras that are moving around the studio robotically," said Corey Lazar, WINK News anchor. "Seeing just seeing WINK everywhere in the studio, that means a lot to me, and I think it means a lot to the community."

Mark Gilson of Fort Myers Broadcasting Company emphasized the advantages of the new location in the Gateway section of Lee County, noting its security and elevation.

"This location is much more secure. We're away from water. We're actually 21 feet above sea level at this location, and so we're excited to be able to have that security to better serve the community," he said.

The move to the new facility brings increased safety and operational efficiency.

"We were inside of a building that flooded, just like so many other people were flooding inside their homes," said Lazar, recalling the challenges faced during Hurricane Ian.

Brad Dotson, WINK News operations manager, expressed gratitude for the new location.

"I'm grateful for leadership to seek out this beautiful building and build out state-of-the-art facilities for us to use," he said.

The central location of the new studio enhances WINK's ability to quickly deploy crews throughout the viewing area.

"It's in a beautiful neighborhood. It's centrally located in our viewing area, so we can deploy crews to wherever we're needed, close to the airport, close to 75," said Dotson.

With the latest technology, including robotic cameras, the studio is designed to meet the demands of modern media.

"With the robotic cameras, there's a lot of exciting technology that goes into broadcast today," said Gilson. "We have the newest technology here, again, it's not looking at how media was 20 years ago, it's about how media and broadcast is now and in the future."

WINK News anchor Taylor Petras highlighted the responsibility the station holds in delivering news to the community.

"People inviting us into their homes every day is a big responsibility," she said. "Them trusting us and letting them know what they need to know to get their day started on the right note, is a huge responsibility."

Lazar reflected on the station's evolution.

"It's kind of like, I don't want to say a new beginning, because we are so deeply rooted in this community, but it is like a new beginning for WINK, for the next generation of what we're going to be doing," he said.