WGN America
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Chicago's Very Own (WGN Newscasts) [1]
Canada
WGN Superstation (2001-2002)
Superstation WGN (2002-2008)
WGN America (formerly known as "Superstation WGN" or "WGN Superstation") is a Chicago-based American superstation for WGN-TV, owned by Tribune Broadcasting Company. WGN America offers its national programming across North America without network programming. It is the only remaining national superstation after TBS became a regular cable channel on October 1, 2007. WGN America is available via satellite to DirecTV and Dish Network as well as cable in the United States as well as through some smaller Canadian cable companies; most Canadian viewers which previously received the previous Superstation WGN feed now receive the WGN-TV Chicago feed. In the Chicago metropolitan area, WGN America is not available on cable or terrestrial digital but is available to DirecTV and Dish Network viewers.
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[edit] History
[edit] October 1978-1989
In October 1978, United Video uplinked the signal of WGN-TV Channel 9 in Chicago to the Satcom-3 satellite for cable and satellite subscribers nationwide. For over 11 years, the national program schedule was the exact same as Chicago's.
[edit] Effects by the "SyndEx" rule
In 1989, a new law known as Syndication Exclusivity Rule, or "SyndEx", was passed. This law means that whenever a local station has the exclusive rights to air a syndicated program in their market, it must be blacked out on any out-of-town stations by the local cable company. On January 1, 1990, a separate national feed of WGN-TV was launched to avoid any blackouts, save for some sports programming, similar to WWOR-TV's "WWOR EMI Service", only with fewer blackouts.
WGN America's national feed does not carry the WGN Morning News (it is claimed that the newscast was dropped in 1996 due to "SyndEx" rules on some segments) or the WGN Evening News, but does air the Noon-1 p.m. portion of its midday newscast (the 11:30-Noon portion is not carried by the superstation feed) and the 9 p.m. (Central Time) newscast, along with the Illinois State Lottery and Mega Millions multi-state lottery drawings. The evening newscast is occasionally pre-empted nationally due to Chicago Bulls basketball games cleared only on WGN-TV in Chicago, but not on WGN America or if a movie on WGN America runs long. Other local programs carried on the local Chicago area feed that are also carried on the Superstation feed include the Saturday morning public affairs programs People To People and Adelante, Chicago, and movies.
[edit] CW and WB Network programming
Another major programming difference between the national and Chicago area feeds is that WGN America does not carry CW Network programming (which does appear on WGN-TV Chicago), as that network is available in most markets around the country. Superstation WGN did carry programming from the former WB Network nationwide (which Tribune had an ownership interest in) from the network's launch in 1995 until 1999, when local station coverage was deemed sufficient enough by Time Warner and Tribune to discontinue airing The WB on Superstation WGN. Moreover, some markets with Tribune-owned stations do not have WGN America on analog or digital cable. During this period, Superstation WGN also carried Kids' WB, which was carried only on the Superstation due to WGN's local morning newscast. (It was seen in Chicago at the time on WCIU-TV.)
[edit] Sports
WGN America airs all WGN Cubs and White Sox baseball games, as well as a select amount of Bulls basketball games. Due to NBA broadcast rights restrictions, most Bulls games contracted to air on WGN-TV are seen in the Chicago area only; WGN America airs movies and other syndicated programming instead. With former superstation TBS having moved its national broadcasts of the Atlanta Braves to its local Atlanta WPCH-TV feed in 2008, it leaves WGN as the only superstation broadcasting local sports to a national audience.[2] WGN gained the over-the-air rights for the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks in 2008; as with most of the Bulls games, these are exclusive to WGN-TV.
[edit] Original Programming
On August 21, 2008, it was announced that radio hosts Bob and Tom would join the WGN America line-up on November 3, 2008. [3] WGN America also simulcasts or airs on a delayed basis many Chicago-based programs produced by WGN's local department, such as local parades, event coverage, or retrospective shows on WGN's past.
[edit] Out Of Sight Retro Night
Out Of Sight Retro Night is the Sunday Night classic comedy block on WGN America. The following is the list of shows featured in the lineup: [2]
This line up starts at 5:00 PM Eastern, breaks away at 10:00PM Eastern for news, and resumes from 11-1AM Eastern.
[edit] Change to WGN America
On May 24, 2008, Superstation WGN formally changed its name to WGN America. Initially, its use was limited to promos, as the Superstation WGN idents remained in use. The new name and logo went into fulltime use on the channel on Memorial Day, May 26, 2008. The channel would soon begin a slow change in its programming lineup, starting with the Sunday night "Out of Sight Retro Night" block, featuring older programs such as WKRP in Cincinnati, Newhart and The Honeymooners, some of which aired on WGN prior to the syndex era, or even after the start of syndex on the Chicago signal only. A few shows, such as former WGN staples U.S. Farm Report and Soul Train, have been dropped, mostly due to the dissolution of Tribune's television studio division. The transition process for a full rebranding is expected to take 12 to 18 months.[3]. In late July 2008, the network's logo bug dropped the eyes element of the logo, though they remain a part of the general logo in all other uses.
Tribune Chairman/CEO Sam Zell and CEO Randy Michaels have also stated to the media during a nationwide tour of Tribune properties that they would like to lure comedian Jay Leno into the Tribune fold as the host of a new late night program after the end of Leno's run as host of The Tonight Show on NBC in 2009, by launching it on Tribune stations and using WGN America as a lynchpin for the show [4].
[edit] WGN in Canada
On January 17, 2007, many cable systems in Canada, as well as Star Choice, switched to the WGN-TV Chicago feed, duplicating CW Network and many syndicated programs already available on other channels. This is a result of Shaw Broadcast Services (the main supplier of the WGN feed in Canada) switching to the local feed. It is believed that the switch was made to avoid fees required to carry Superstation WGN. WGN America continues to be carried on other cable systems in Canada, however Bell TV has been carrying the WGN-TV Chicago feed for several years.
[edit] High Definition
A high definition feed of WGN America is now available on AT&T U-verse, Dish Network, Verizon Fios, and other systems as it becomes available. Cubs and White Sox baseball, Bulls basketball and most episodes of Corner Gas are in high definition. WGN began broadcasting its news in high definition on July 19, 2008, and those newscasts that are cleared for the national feed will be available in HD for WGN America viewers.
[edit] Logos
- Note: WGN America used WGN-TV Chicago logos until 1995.
WGN's logo from 1995-2001. This is the second "modern" logo, in blue. the "G" is an inverted "9", which was also used by Superstation WGN.
WGN Superstation logo from 2001 to 2002.
Superstation WGN logo from 2002-2006. This is the "Circle S" logo.
Superstation WGN logo from 2006 to 2008.
WGN America logo from 2008.
