Superstation WGN
Encyclopedia
WGN America is a Chicago
-based American superstation
feed of WGN-TV
, owned by Tribune Broadcasting
. WGN America offers its national programming across North America without the CW network programming and most syndicated programs that are carried on the Chicago area feed. It is the only remaining national superstation after TBS
became a regular cable channel on October 1, 2007; although WGN America is still not available on most cable systems in the New England
region of the United States, including certain parts of the New York metropolitan area
.
WGN America is available in the United States on most cable providers
, via satellite to DirecTV
and Dish Network
subscribers, and to subscribers of AT&T U-verse (outside of the Chicago area) and Verizon FiOS
; it is also carried on some smaller Canadian cable companies, although most Canadian viewers which previously received the superstation feed now receive the WGN-TV Chicago feed. In the Chicago market, WGN America is not available on over-the-air digital television or cable, but is available on DirecTV and Dish Network. Due to its "superstation" status, most American cable and IPTV providers carry WGN America on a "limited basic" programming tier (which also includes local broadcast stations
and public, educational, and government access
(PEG) cable channels).
Being a superstation, WGN America is not timeshifted
for other areas of the U.S.
; as such, its promos refer to shows airing on both the Eastern
and Pacific time zones
(ex., America's Funniest Home Videos
would be advertised as airing at "7 p.m. East/4 p.m. West", a scheduling reference format it has used in promos since 2008, in lieu of referring to those zones as "Eastern" and "Pacific"). As a result, the weekday noon and nightly 9 p.m. newscasts from WGN-TV air in the Central Time Zone at the same time as the Pacific, Mountain and Eastern time zones, but is shown earlier or later depending on the location.
(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 same as Chicago's. As United Video also owned Prevue Guide
, WGN's audio subcarrier
channel unheard by viewers was utilized to transmit programming schedules in a 2400 bit/s data stream
to local cable providers for their own systems.
In 1989, a new law known as the 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 Secaucus, New Jersey
-based WWOR-TV
's "WWOR EMI Service
", only with fewer blackouts.
One 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 now-defunct WB
network (which Tribune had an ownership interest in) nationwide 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 the superstation feed, giving the network an early advantage over UPN
(which declined to allow former superstation WWOR
to carry UPN programming nationwide to areas without an affiliate). Moreover, some cable providers in markets with Tribune-owned stations do not carry WGN America on analog or digital cable. During this period, Superstation WGN also carried Kids' WB
, which was carried only on the superstation feed due to WGN's local morning newscast; it was seen in Chicago at the time on WCIU-TV
(channel 26).
By the early 1990s, WGN began to increase its national cable coverage when many cable systems began to swap WWOR for the WGN superstation feed. However in 1996, WGN's news, sports, entertainment and WB network programming had gone missing from many areas served by now-defunct cable provider TCI outside the Chicago area as it dropped the superstation feed from TCI systems in several markets, the move was in part to make room for additional channels; this was around the same time that WGN temporarily lost the rights to Chicago Bulls
basketball games due to a lawsuit between WGN-TV and the National Basketball Association
. However due to viewer outcry in some markets over the decision, TCI later backed off plans to drop programming from the WGN superstation feed in five Midwestern states.
In 1997, TCI and Tribune had also discussed a move to convert the WGN superstation feed into a basic cable channel (similar to what Atlanta superstation WTBS
did that same year), with TCI owning 50%. In 2001, the superstation feed was rebranded as WGN Superstation, before rebranding again as Superstation WGN in November of the following year, coinciding with the introduction of WGN-TV Chicago's current logo.
, May 26, 2008; the new logo was also the first used by the superstation feed to not include a variant of WGN-TV's logo. The logo featured the eyes of a female (similar in resemblance to the 1988-1997 logo used by The Movie Channel
), used alongside the channel's new slogan "TV You Can't Ignore". 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
, ALF
, Barney Miller
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
, had been dropped, mostly due to the dissolution of Tribune's television production and distribution division
. The transition process for a full rebranding was expected to take 12 to 18 months. In late July 2008, the network's logo bug
was revised - the eyes element of the logo morphed into the words WGN America, and have also remained a part of the general logo in all other uses until the beginning of 2009. From January to April 2009, the text of the WGN America logo bug became the main logo with the eyes element.
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 linchpin for the show. However, in December 2008 NBC
retained the rights to Leno by moving his show to 10:00 and creating The Jay Leno Show
.
In April 2009, WGN America rebranded the channel, with a new retro-style logo (which was given a slight update on July 1, 2010 with the rounded trapezoid containing the "WGN" simplified into rounded squares and the word "america" spaced), a new five note sounder
equivalent to the NBC chimes
(this same sounder is also in use on WGN Radio
in Chicago), new graphics, a new slogan ("Everywhere America Calls Home"), and new original programming. The channel did so to increase cable carriage outside the network's traditional carriage area and position itself as a general entertainment channel that programs to the entire nation, not just Chicago and the Midwest.
, Bewitched
, America's Funniest Home Videos
(from the Bergeron and Fugelsang/Fuentes era of that series), Futurama
, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
, Mad About You
, Scrubs
, The New Adventures of Old Christine
, South Park
, 'Til Death
, 30 Rock
, In the Heat of the Night
, How I Met Your Mother
, Dharma & Greg
, Walker, Texas Ranger
, Matlock
, Monk
and The Unit
. Most shows airing on WGN America can also be seen on other over-the-air stations nationwide, but have been cleared by the studios for "full-signal" rights (that is, shows that do not fall under Syndex regulations). For example, although 30 Rock
syndicated reruns now air on other TV stations, it airs on WGN America as well, due to its clearance by NBCUniversal for "full-signal" carriage.
Feature films also air on the channel, which are also cleared for "full-signal" carriage as the superstation feed runs films from syndicated packages distributed by Sony Pictures Television
, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, 20th Television
and other distributors for local broadcast syndication. These feature films formed the majority of the superstation's primetime schedule until the "Superstation WGN" branding era; though as of September 13, 2010, WGN America no longer airs movies in primetime, having been relegated to Sunday afternoons and weekend late nights since September 18, 2010. The channel at present is heavily reliant on classic television series during the late morning and afternoon hours, and from August 2007 until September 5, 2010 aired a Sunday night classic comedy block called Outta Sight Retro Night, which consisted of reruns of The Cosby Show
, Newhart
, Barney Miller
and Cheers
; the lineup started at 5 p.m. ET, broke away at 10 p.m. ET for WGN News at Nine and Instant Replay, and resumed from 11-2 a.m. ET.
In recent years, WGN America has also acquired sub-run syndication rights to series that have aired on the channel previously in first-run form between 1995 and 1999 when it carried WB network programming. 7th Heaven
, The Wayans Bros.
, Sister, Sister
and The Parent 'Hood
have all aired in first-run and off-network syndication form on WGN America in the past. Between 2006 and 2009, WGN America ran sitcoms aimed at teen and preteen audiences during the mid-afternoon hours, such as Lizzie McGuire
, Even Stevens
and Sister, Sister, only to move these shows to late night graveyard slot
s, when the show's target audiences are usually not awake, after a short time and eventually dropped them, likely due to the restructuring of Tribune's television division and a deal with the Disney Channel
which proved too expensive to maintain.
would join the WGN America line-up on November 3, 2008; the video simulcast
of that show was produced for Tribune's Indianapolis
sister operation WXIN
/WTTV
by B&T flagship station WFBQ
. Originally airing in a standard late night
slot, it was later moved to overnights
; WGN America ceased airing The Bob and Tom Show on September 13, 2010.
On December 19, 2008, WGN America confirmed a deal with World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) to show WWE Superstars
as a one hour program every week, starting April 16, 2009. The channel stopped airing the show after the April 7, 2011 episode and it is now available in the United States only on WWE.com.
In April 2010, WGN America announced it would begin carrying Earl Pitts Uhmerikun
, a television version of the radio commentary series created by Gary Burbank
, it began airing that same month. Burbank has long been close with the current Tribune Company management, who approached him about bringing the series to television. The commentary was aired in the form of a series of 90-second short segments, airing usually during WGN-TV newscasts; as of November 2011, it no longer currently airs.
For unknown reasons, WGN America has not cleared the 11 a.m.-noon portion of the WGN Midday News, the weeknight 5 p.m. newscast and the weekend morning newscasts for broadcast on the superstation feed since they each launched in October 2009, September 2008 and October 2010, respectively (these newscasts are, however, carried via live streaming on WGNTV.com); the WGN Morning News
also does not air outside of WGN-TV's over-the-air broadcast area and cable, satellite and IPTV systems in northeastern Illinois carrying the WGN-TV local feed, although it did air nationally from its 1994 debut until 1996, when it was dropped reportedly due to SyndEx rules on some segments.
As of September 13, 2010, due to the removal of movies from the Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday primetime lineups in favor of sitcom reruns nightly in primetime, preemptions of the 9 p.m. newscast on WGN America have decreased to only on occasional instances where certain sporting events airing on WGN-TV are not cleared to air outside of Chicago, and the game is scheduled to run past 9 p.m. CT (prior to the scheduling change, feature films than ran past 10 p.m. ET also caused the late-evening newscast to be preempted). Episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos (from either the 2001–present Tom Bergeron
run or the 1997-1999 Daisy Fuentes
-John Fugelsang
run) air in the newscast's place in the event of a primetime sports preemption outside of the Chicago market; the noon-1 p.m. CT portion of the midday newscast is also occasionally preempted (though in far rarer instances) when a Cubs or White Sox baseball game begins at 1 p.m. ET.
Love Network station for the Chicago market, WGN America also simulcasts the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (having aired the telethon in both its former 18-hour format used until 2010, and the six-hour primetime format since 2011), with the local segments featuring WGN-TV personalities included; as a result, donations to the Chicago-based segments of the telethon come from both in and outside of the Chicago market. WGN America also simulcasts or airs on a delayed basis other Chicago-based programs produced by WGN's local programming department, such as local parades, event coverage, or retrospective shows on WGN's past (these include the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade
and the special Bozo, Gar and Ray: WGN TV Classics
).
Although the program schedules between WGN's Chicago area and national superstation feeds were similar at first in the years following the enaction of the SyndEx rules, having featured much of the same programming as one another with limited programming substitutions outside of Chicago, the local Chicago area and national superstation feeds of WGN-TV (particularly since the rebrand of the superstation to "WGN America") have begun to feature significantly fewer common programs compared to in years past with vastly different programming between the two feeds. As of November 2011, the only "SyndEx-proof" shows shared between WGN America and WGN-TV Chicago (other than local newscasts), and cleared for "full-signal" carriage are People to People and Adelante, Chicago, syndicated reruns of 30 Rock, and the religious programs Singsation!, Tomorrow's World
and Believer's Walk of Faith with Pastor Bill Winston. At one time in 2007, WGN America broadcast The Steve Wilkos Show
, airing one hour before WGN-TV's airing of the show.
The Illinois Lottery
is the only U.S. state lottery which televises their non multi-jurisdictional drawings to a national audience, due to WGN America's simulcasts of the lottery's drawings; the live drawings air weekdays during the midday newscast and nightly during the primetime newscast, respectively at 12:40 and 9:22 p.m. CT; the winning numbers for all games drawn in the midday and evening drawings are also shown if either the noon or 9 p.m. newscasts are preempted, and on weekend afternoons during scheduled programming in the 1 p.m. ET time slot, where the numbers are shown either during a commercial break or in an on-screen graphic within the program; in addition, the Tuesday and Friday night Mega Millions
and Wednesday and Saturday night Powerball
multi-state lottery drawings (both of which the Illinois Lottery also participates in) are also simulcast on WGN America at 11 p.m. ET on those nights (except during an ongoing sports telecast). Because of WGN America's ubiquitous distribution in the state of Iowa
, the Iowa Lottery
thus uses Illinois' lottery numbers for their own Pick 3 and Pick 4 games daily.
and Chicago White Sox
Major League Baseball
games televised on WGN-TV's local Chicago feed. It also simulcasts about 10 Chicago Bulls
NBA games from the local feed but due to the 2011 NBA season postponed and in danger of being canceled no games are being televised. The local station has rights to carry additional Bulls games, as well as a number of Chicago Blackhawks
NHL games. However, due to broadcast rights restrictions imposed by the National Basketball Association
and National Hockey League
respectively, WGN America is not allowed to carry other games from Bulls schedule, outside of the 10 games allowed to air outside Chicago market or any Blackhawks game that the local station carries. WGN America substitutes games not cleared for national carriage with movies and/or syndicated programs in those cases. 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.
Certain related programming carried locally, such as the Blackhawks' victory parade following the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs
and a half-hour special paying tribute to the late Cubs player and broadcaster Ron Santo
in 2011
, have also not been shown on WGN America, though in the latter case a few Tribune and Local TV LLC partner stations aired the funeral on their digital subchannel
s.
, which carries both WGN America and WGN-TV Chicago), while Bell TV has been carrying the WGN-TV Chicago feed for several years. WGN also is carried as part of the NHL Centre Ice
sports package in Canada as well, primarily for simulcasts of Chicago Blackhawks games.
simulcast of WGN America, broadcasting programming available in HD in the 1080i
picture format. Select syndicated programs (such as 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother and Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Cubs
and White Sox
baseball and Bulls
basketball games, and WGN-TV's noon and 9 p.m. newscasts are currently broadcast in high definition. WGN-TV began broadcasting its newscasts in high definition on July 19, 2008. It is available on Cox Communications
, Comcast
, AT&T U-verse, Verizon FiOS
and other select cable providers, as well as via satellite providers Dish Network
and DirecTV
.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based American superstation
Superstation
Superstation in United States television can have several meanings. In its most precise meaning, a superstation is defined by the Federal Communications Commission as "A television broadcast station, other than a network station, licensed by the FCC that is secondarily transmitted by a satellite...
feed of WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
, owned by Tribune Broadcasting
Tribune Broadcasting
The Tribune Broadcasting Company is a group of radio and television stations located throughout the United States which are owned and operated by the Tribune Company, a media conglomerate based in Chicago, Illinois and named for the flagship Chicago Tribune newspaper.- History :Tribune Broadcasting...
. WGN America offers its national programming across North America without the CW network programming and most syndicated programs that are carried on the Chicago area feed. It is the only remaining national superstation after TBS
TBS (TV channel)
TBS , stylized in the logo as tbs, is an American cable television channel owned by Time Warner that shows a variety of programming, with a focus on comedy. TBS was originally known as WTCG, a UHF terrestrial television station that broadcast from Atlanta, Georgia, during the late 1970s...
became a regular cable channel on October 1, 2007; although WGN America is still not available on most cable systems in the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
region of the United States, including certain parts of the New York metropolitan area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
.
WGN America is available in the United States on most cable providers
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
, via satellite to DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
and Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
subscribers, and to subscribers of AT&T U-verse (outside of the Chicago area) and Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
; it is also carried on some smaller Canadian cable companies, although most Canadian viewers which previously received the superstation feed now receive the WGN-TV Chicago feed. In the Chicago market, WGN America is not available on over-the-air digital television or cable, but is available on DirecTV and Dish Network. Due to its "superstation" status, most American cable and IPTV providers carry WGN America on a "limited basic" programming tier (which also includes local broadcast stations
Terrestrial television
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
and public, educational, and government access
Public, educational, and government access
Public, educational, and government access television, refers to three different cable television specialty channels...
(PEG) cable channels).
Being a superstation, WGN America is not timeshifted
Timeshift channel
A timeshift channel is a television channel carrying a time-delayed rebroadcast of its "parent" channel's output. This channel runs alongside their parent: the term "timeshift" does not refer to a network broadcasting at a later time to reflect a local timezone unless the parent is also available...
for other areas of the U.S.
Effects of time on North American broadcasting
The scheduling of television programming in North America must cope with a continent spanning ten time zones: the United States has six time zones , Canada also has six , Mexico has three , Greenland also has...
; as such, its promos refer to shows airing on both the Eastern
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
and Pacific time zones
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
(ex., America's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home Videos is an American reality television program on ABC in which viewers are able to send in humorous homemade videotapes. The most common videos usually feature slapstick physical comedy arising from incidents, accidents and mishaps...
would be advertised as airing at "7 p.m. East/4 p.m. West", a scheduling reference format it has used in promos since 2008, in lieu of referring to those zones as "Eastern" and "Pacific"). As a result, the weekday noon and nightly 9 p.m. newscasts from WGN-TV air in the Central Time Zone at the same time as the Pacific, Mountain and Eastern time zones, but is shown earlier or later depending on the location.
Differences between the Chicago and national feeds
In October 1978, United Video Satellite Group uplinked the signal of WGN-TVWGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
(channel 9) in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to the Satcom-3
Satcom (satellite)
The Satcom series was a family of communications satellites originally developed and operated by RCA American Communications . Satcom was one of the early geostationary satellites; the first were the Syncom series, in 1964. The first Satcom satellite, Satcom 1, was launched on December 13, 1975...
satellite for cable and satellite subscribers nationwide. For over 11 years, the national program schedule was the same as Chicago's. As United Video also owned Prevue Guide
TV Guide Channel
TV Guide Network is an American cable network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation....
, WGN's audio subcarrier
Subcarrier
A subcarrier is a separate analog or digital signal carried on a main radio transmission, which carries extra information such as voice or data. More technically, it is an already-modulated signal, which is then modulated into another signal of higher frequency and bandwidth...
channel unheard by viewers was utilized to transmit programming schedules in a 2400 bit/s data stream
Data stream
In telecommunications and computing, a data stream is a sequence of digitally encoded coherent signals used to transmit or receive information that is in the process of being transmitted....
to local cable providers for their own systems.
In 1989, a new law known as the Syndication Exclusivity Rule, or "SyndEx
Syndication exclusivity
Syndication exclusivity is a federal law in the United States designed to protect a local television station's rights to syndicated television programs by granting exclusive rights to the station for that program in the local market, usually defined by a station's Nielsen DMA...
", 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 Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...
-based WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
's "WWOR EMI Service
WWOR EMI Service
WWOR EMI Service was a New York City-based American superstation for Secaucus, NJ-licensed WWOR-TV Channel 9, uplinked from Syracuse, New York to satellite by Eastern Microwave, Inc., who later sold the satellite distribution rights to Advance Entertainment Corporation, which was owned by Advance...
", only with fewer blackouts.
One major programming difference between the national and Chicago area feeds is that WGN America does not carry CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
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 now-defunct WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
network (which Tribune had an ownership interest in) nationwide from the network's launch in 1995 until 1999, when local station coverage was deemed sufficient enough by Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
and Tribune to discontinue airing The WB on the superstation feed, giving the network an early advantage over UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
(which declined to allow former superstation WWOR
WWOR EMI Service
WWOR EMI Service was a New York City-based American superstation for Secaucus, NJ-licensed WWOR-TV Channel 9, uplinked from Syracuse, New York to satellite by Eastern Microwave, Inc., who later sold the satellite distribution rights to Advance Entertainment Corporation, which was owned by Advance...
to carry UPN programming nationwide to areas without an affiliate). Moreover, some cable providers in markets with Tribune-owned stations do not carry WGN America on analog or digital cable. During this period, Superstation WGN also carried Kids' WB
Kids' WB
Kids' WB! was Warner Bros. American childrens programing division brand for The WB Television Network. In September 2006, the block moved to The CW Television Network. The CW is the result of The WB's merger with UPN in 2006...
, which was carried only on the superstation feed due to WGN's local morning newscast; it was seen in Chicago at the time on WCIU-TV
WCIU-TV
WCIU-TV is an independent television station located in Chicago, Illinois. It operates on UHF digital channel 27 and is Chicago's oldest UHF station, signing on the air in 1964. WCIU-TV is the flagship station of Weigel Broadcasting, a locally-based broadcaster which has owned the station since...
(channel 26).
By the early 1990s, WGN began to increase its national cable coverage when many cable systems began to swap WWOR for the WGN superstation feed. However in 1996, WGN's news, sports, entertainment and WB network programming had gone missing from many areas served by now-defunct cable provider TCI outside the Chicago area as it dropped the superstation feed from TCI systems in several markets, the move was in part to make room for additional channels; this was around the same time that WGN temporarily lost the rights to Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
basketball games due to a lawsuit between WGN-TV and the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. However due to viewer outcry in some markets over the decision, TCI later backed off plans to drop programming from the WGN superstation feed in five Midwestern states.
In 1997, TCI and Tribune had also discussed a move to convert the WGN superstation feed into a basic cable channel (similar to what Atlanta superstation WTBS
TBS (TV channel)
TBS , stylized in the logo as tbs, is an American cable television channel owned by Time Warner that shows a variety of programming, with a focus on comedy. TBS was originally known as WTCG, a UHF terrestrial television station that broadcast from Atlanta, Georgia, during the late 1970s...
did that same year), with TCI owning 50%. In 2001, the superstation feed was rebranded as WGN Superstation, before rebranding again as Superstation WGN in November of the following year, coinciding with the introduction of WGN-TV Chicago's current logo.
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 IDs remained in use. The new name and logo went into fulltime use on the channel on Memorial DayMemorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
, May 26, 2008; the new logo was also the first used by the superstation feed to not include a variant of WGN-TV's logo. The logo featured the eyes of a female (similar in resemblance to the 1988-1997 logo used by The Movie Channel
The Movie Channel
The Movie Channel is an American premium channel owned by Showtime Networks, Inc., a subsidiary of CBS Corporation, which shows mostly movies, as well as special behind-the-scenes features, softcore adult erotica and movie trivia....
), used alongside the channel's new slogan "TV You Can't Ignore". 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
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
, Newhart
Newhart
Newhart is a television situation comedy starring comedian Bob Newhart and actress Mary Frann as an author and wife who owned and operated an inn located in a small, rural Vermont town that was home to many eccentric characters. The show aired on the CBS network from October 25, 1982 to May 21, 1990...
, ALF
ALF (TV series)
ALF is an American science fiction sitcom that originally aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990, created by Paul Fusco. The title character was Gordon Shumway, a friendly extraterrestrial nicknamed ALF , who crash lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family.The series starred Max...
, Barney Miller
Barney Miller
Barney Miller is a situation comedy television series set in a New York City police station in Greenwich Village. The series originally was broadcast from January 23, 1975 to May 20, 1982 on ABC. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker...
and The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners is an American situation comedy television show, based on a recurring 1951–'55 sketch of the same name. It originally aired on the DuMont network's Cavalcade of Stars and subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show hosted by Jackie Gleason, and filmed before a live...
, 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
U.S. Farm Report
The U.S. Farm Report is a weekly syndicated United States television news program, presented in magazine format, which has a focus on agriculture and agribusiness....
and Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
, had been dropped, mostly due to the dissolution of Tribune's television production and distribution division
Tribune Entertainment
Tribune Entertainment was a television production and syndication company owned and operated by Tribune Broadcasting in the mid-1980s. Many programs offered from Tribune Entertainment have been broadcast on the company's television stations....
. The transition process for a full rebranding was expected to take 12 to 18 months. In late July 2008, the network's logo bug
Digital on-screen graphic
A digital on-screen graphic is a watermark-like station logo that many television broadcasters overlay over a portion of the screen-area of their programs to identify the channel...
was revised - the eyes element of the logo morphed into the words WGN America, and have also remained a part of the general logo in all other uses until the beginning of 2009. From January to April 2009, the text of the WGN America logo bug became the main logo with the eyes element.
Tribune Chairman/CEO Sam Zell and CEO Randy Michaels
Randy Michaels
Randy Michaels is an American broadcasting executive and a member of the National Association of Broadcasters TV Board.Randy Michaels has been involved in large market radio broadcasting since the early 1970s, first in front of the mike as evening personality at adult contemporary WGR in Buffalo...
have also stated to the media during a nationwide tour of Tribune properties that they would like to lure comedian Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
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
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in 2009, by launching it on Tribune stations and using WGN America as a linchpin for the show. However, in December 2008 NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
retained the rights to Leno by moving his show to 10:00 and creating The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show is an American comedy show created by and starring Jay Leno, that aired from September 14, 2009 to February 9, 2010 on NBC following the May 29, 2009 conclusion of Leno's first tenure as host of The Tonight Show...
.
In April 2009, WGN America rebranded the channel, with a new retro-style logo (which was given a slight update on July 1, 2010 with the rounded trapezoid containing the "WGN" simplified into rounded squares and the word "america" spaced), a new five note sounder
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
equivalent to the NBC chimes
NBC chimes
The NBC chimes, named for the radio and television network on which they have been used, consists of a succession of three distinct pitches: G3, E4, and C4 , sounded in that order, creating an arpeggiated C-major chord in the second inversion, within about two seconds time, and reverberating for...
(this same sounder is also in use on WGN Radio
WGN (AM)
WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...
in Chicago), new graphics, a new slogan ("Everywhere America Calls Home"), and new original programming. The channel did so to increase cable carriage outside the network's traditional carriage area and position itself as a general entertainment channel that programs to the entire nation, not just Chicago and the Midwest.
Programming
The network now relies primarily on a variety of re-runs, such as I Dream of JeannieI Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
, Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
, America's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home Videos is an American reality television program on ABC in which viewers are able to send in humorous homemade videotapes. The most common videos usually feature slapstick physical comedy arising from incidents, accidents and mishaps...
(from the Bergeron and Fugelsang/Fuentes era of that series), Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
, Mad About You
Mad About You
Mad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations specialist...
, Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
, The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010...
, South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, 'Til Death
'Til Death
’Til Death is an American sitcom which aired on the Fox network from September 7, 2006, to June 20, 2010. The series was created by husband-and-wife team Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, who were also the writers and executive-producers...
, 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, In the Heat of the Night
In the Heat of the Night (TV series)
In the Heat of the Night is a television series based on the motion picture and novel of the same name. It was broadcast on NBC from 1988 until 1992, and then on CBS until 1995...
, How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
, Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from September 24, 1997, to April 30, 2002.It starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a couple who married instantly on their first date despite being complete opposites...
, Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television action crime drama series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, and starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division. The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full...
, Matlock
Matlock (TV series)
Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of attorney Ben Matlock. The show originally aired from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC, where it replaced The A-Team, then from November 5, 1992 until May 7, 1995 on ABC.The show's format was similar...
, Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
and The Unit
The Unit
The Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
. Most shows airing on WGN America can also be seen on other over-the-air stations nationwide, but have been cleared by the studios for "full-signal" rights (that is, shows that do not fall under Syndex regulations). For example, although 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
syndicated reruns now air on other TV stations, it airs on WGN America as well, due to its clearance by NBCUniversal for "full-signal" carriage.
Feature films also air on the channel, which are also cleared for "full-signal" carriage as the superstation feed runs films from syndicated packages distributed by Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, 20th Television
20th Television
20th Television is an American television production and syndication company that was formed in 1992 by 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, a division of the Fox Entertainment Group, part of News Corporation....
and other distributors for local broadcast syndication. These feature films formed the majority of the superstation's primetime schedule until the "Superstation WGN" branding era; though as of September 13, 2010, WGN America no longer airs movies in primetime, having been relegated to Sunday afternoons and weekend late nights since September 18, 2010. The channel at present is heavily reliant on classic television series during the late morning and afternoon hours, and from August 2007 until September 5, 2010 aired a Sunday night classic comedy block called Outta Sight Retro Night, which consisted of reruns of The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, Newhart
Newhart
Newhart is a television situation comedy starring comedian Bob Newhart and actress Mary Frann as an author and wife who owned and operated an inn located in a small, rural Vermont town that was home to many eccentric characters. The show aired on the CBS network from October 25, 1982 to May 21, 1990...
, Barney Miller
Barney Miller
Barney Miller is a situation comedy television series set in a New York City police station in Greenwich Village. The series originally was broadcast from January 23, 1975 to May 20, 1982 on ABC. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker...
and Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
; the lineup started at 5 p.m. ET, broke away at 10 p.m. ET for WGN News at Nine and Instant Replay, and resumed from 11-2 a.m. ET.
In recent years, WGN America has also acquired sub-run syndication rights to series that have aired on the channel previously in first-run form between 1995 and 1999 when it carried WB network programming. 7th Heaven
7th Heaven
7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from August 26, 1996 to May 13, 2007...
, The Wayans Bros.
The Wayans Bros.
The Wayans Bros. is a situation comedy that aired from 1995 to 1999 on The WB. The series starred real-life brothers Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans. Both brothers were already well-known from the sketch comedy show In Living Color...
, Sister, Sister
Sister, Sister (TV series)
Sister, Sister is an American television sitcom about identical twin girls Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell , who were separated and adopted at birth, when one day they come face-to-face after 14 years apart....
and The Parent 'Hood
The Parent 'Hood
The Parent 'Hood is an American sitcom that aired on The WB airing from January 18, 1995 to July 25, 1999. The series starred Robert Townsend and Suzzanne Douglas....
have all aired in first-run and off-network syndication form on WGN America in the past. Between 2006 and 2009, WGN America ran sitcoms aimed at teen and preteen audiences during the mid-afternoon hours, such as Lizzie McGuire
Lizzie McGuire
Lizzie McGuire is an American teen sitcom which premiered on the Disney Channel on January 12, 2001 and ended February 14, 2004. A total of 65 episodes were produced and aired. Its target demographic was preteens and adolescents...
, Even Stevens
Even Stevens
Even Stevens is an American comedy television series that aired on Disney Channel with a total of three seasons and 65 episodes from June 17, 2000, to June 2, 2003...
and Sister, Sister, only to move these shows to late night graveyard slot
Graveyard slot
A graveyard slot is a time period in which a television audience is very small compared to other times of the day, and therefore broadcast programming is considered far less important. Graveyard slots are usually in the early morning hours of each day, when most people are asleep...
s, when the show's target audiences are usually not awake, after a short time and eventually dropped them, likely due to the restructuring of Tribune's television division and a deal with the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
which proved too expensive to maintain.
Original programming
On August 21, 2008, it was announced that radio hosts Bob and TomThe Bob & Tom Show
The Bob & Tom Show is a syndicated US radio program established by Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold at radio station WFBQ in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 7, 1983, and syndicated nationally since January 6, 1995....
would join the WGN America line-up on November 3, 2008; the video simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
of that show was produced for Tribune's Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
sister operation WXIN
WXIN
WXIN, channel 59, is the Fox affiliated television station in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 45, using its former analog channel 59 as its virtual channel via PSIP...
/WTTV
WTTV
WTTV is a CW-affiliated television station licensed to Bloomington, Indiana, serving the Indianapolis television market. WTTV is owned by the Tribune Company, and is one-half of a duopoly with WXIN , the market's Fox affiliate. The two stations share a studio at 6910 Network Place on the northwest...
by B&T flagship station WFBQ
WFBQ
WFBQ is a radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, owned by Clear Channel Communications. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 94.7 MHz, FM channel 234. The studios are located at 6161 Fall Creek Road on the northeast side of Indianapolis. The transmitter and antenna are...
. Originally airing in a standard late night
Late night television
Late night television in the United States is the block of television programming airing after 11:00 pm and usually through 2:00 am. Traditionally, this type of programming airs after the late local news and is most notable for being the daypart used for a particular genre of programming that falls...
slot, it was later moved to overnights
Graveyard slot
A graveyard slot is a time period in which a television audience is very small compared to other times of the day, and therefore broadcast programming is considered far less important. Graveyard slots are usually in the early morning hours of each day, when most people are asleep...
; WGN America ceased airing The Bob and Tom Show on September 13, 2010.
On December 19, 2008, WGN America confirmed a deal with World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) to show WWE Superstars
WWE Superstars
WWE Superstars is a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment that originally aired on WGN America in the United States. It debuted on April 16, 2009 and ended its domestic broadcasting on April 7, 2011...
as a one hour program every week, starting April 16, 2009. The channel stopped airing the show after the April 7, 2011 episode and it is now available in the United States only on WWE.com.
In April 2010, WGN America announced it would begin carrying Earl Pitts Uhmerikun
Earl Pitts (radio character)
Earl Pitts is a fictional character performed by Gary Burbank, a radio personality from Cincinnati, Ohio.Pitts, who is almost always referred to as "Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun" is a stereotype of a redneck from the Southern United States...
, a television version of the radio commentary series created by Gary Burbank
Gary Burbank
Gary Burbank is an American radio personality. He was heard daily on WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio, from June 15, 1981 until December 21, 2007, when he signed off for the last time.-Career in Radio:...
, it began airing that same month. Burbank has long been close with the current Tribune Company management, who approached him about bringing the series to television. The commentary was aired in the form of a series of 90-second short segments, airing usually during WGN-TV newscasts; as of November 2011, it no longer currently airs.
Newscasts
WGN America's national feed at present carries 12 hours worth of WGN-TV's local newscasts each week, approximately ⅓ of the 49 hours of newscasts that WGN-TV produces per week (with two hours on weekdays and one hour each on Saturdays and Sundays); WGN America carries only the noon-1 p.m. portion of the weekday-only WGN Midday News and the nightly 9 p.m. newscast (all times Central), as well as the 20-minute sports highlight show Instant Replay on Sunday nights. Since 2008, WGN-TV anchors typically reference the national simulcast immediately before the top story of the noon and 9 p.m. newscasts (except at the beginning of the weekend 9 p.m. newscasts, as well as in the event the newscast is preempted on the superstation feed); however ironically, WGN America does not air promos for the WGN-TV newscasts (the only exceptions are those seen near the conclusion of Cubs, White Sox and Bulls evening games that run until or past 9 p.m. CT), though sports telecasts aired on WGN-TV that are carried nationally are promoted on WGN America.For unknown reasons, WGN America has not cleared the 11 a.m.-noon portion of the WGN Midday News, the weeknight 5 p.m. newscast and the weekend morning newscasts for broadcast on the superstation feed since they each launched in October 2009, September 2008 and October 2010, respectively (these newscasts are, however, carried via live streaming on WGNTV.com); the WGN Morning News
WGN Morning News
The WGN Morning News is a popular morning television news program airing on CW affiliate and national cable superstation WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois. The newscast airs Monday through Friday mornings from 4:00-9 a.m...
also does not air outside of WGN-TV's over-the-air broadcast area and cable, satellite and IPTV systems in northeastern Illinois carrying the WGN-TV local feed, although it did air nationally from its 1994 debut until 1996, when it was dropped reportedly due to SyndEx rules on some segments.
As of September 13, 2010, due to the removal of movies from the Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday primetime lineups in favor of sitcom reruns nightly in primetime, preemptions of the 9 p.m. newscast on WGN America have decreased to only on occasional instances where certain sporting events airing on WGN-TV are not cleared to air outside of Chicago, and the game is scheduled to run past 9 p.m. CT (prior to the scheduling change, feature films than ran past 10 p.m. ET also caused the late-evening newscast to be preempted). Episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos (from either the 2001–present Tom Bergeron
Tom Bergeron
Tom Bergeron is an American television personality and game show host, best known as the host of the ABC reality series Dancing with the Stars and host of America's Funniest Home Videos . He was also host of Hollywood Squares and a fill-in host for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire...
run or the 1997-1999 Daisy Fuentes
Daisy Fuentes
Daisy Fuentes is a Cuban-American television host, model, and comedian. Daisy Fuentes broke barriers as MTV's first Latina VJ , and as Revlon's first Latina spokesperson to be signed to a worldwide contract.-Early life:Fuentes was born in Havana, Cuba to a Cuban father and Spanish mother...
-John Fugelsang
John Fugelsang
John Fugelsang is an American actor, television personality and stand-up comedian.-Stage and screen:...
run) air in the newscast's place in the event of a primetime sports preemption outside of the Chicago market; the noon-1 p.m. CT portion of the midday newscast is also occasionally preempted (though in far rarer instances) when a Cubs or White Sox baseball game begins at 1 p.m. ET.
Other WGN-TV programming
Aside from programming shared by both the local and national superstation feeds that have been cleared for "full-signal" carriage, other local programs shared between the two feeds (in addition to the noon and 9 p.m. newscasts) include the Saturday morning public affairs programs Adelante, Chicago and People to People (which are rotated in the same 5:30 a.m. CT timeslot on a bi-weekly basis) and select feature films (though they are aired in different timeslots than they air on WGN-TV Chicago). Through WGN-TV's longtime association as the MDAMuscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is an American organization which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public...
Love Network station for the Chicago market, WGN America also simulcasts the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (having aired the telethon in both its former 18-hour format used until 2010, and the six-hour primetime format since 2011), with the local segments featuring WGN-TV personalities included; as a result, donations to the Chicago-based segments of the telethon come from both in and outside of the Chicago market. WGN America also simulcasts or airs on a delayed basis other Chicago-based programs produced by WGN's local programming department, such as local parades, event coverage, or retrospective shows on WGN's past (these include the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade
McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade
The McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade, "Chicago's Grand Holiday Tradition," is an annual parade produced and presented by the Chicago Festival Association . It is held on State Street in downtown Chicago, Illinois, every Thanksgiving morning starting at 8 am CST...
and the special Bozo, Gar and Ray: WGN TV Classics
Bozo, Gar and Ray: WGN TV Classics
Bozo, Gar and Ray: WGN TV Classics is a two-hour television special produced by WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois. It debuted in 2005 and featured on both WGN-TV and its superstation simulcast, WGN America...
).
Although the program schedules between WGN's Chicago area and national superstation feeds were similar at first in the years following the enaction of the SyndEx rules, having featured much of the same programming as one another with limited programming substitutions outside of Chicago, the local Chicago area and national superstation feeds of WGN-TV (particularly since the rebrand of the superstation to "WGN America") have begun to feature significantly fewer common programs compared to in years past with vastly different programming between the two feeds. As of November 2011, the only "SyndEx-proof" shows shared between WGN America and WGN-TV Chicago (other than local newscasts), and cleared for "full-signal" carriage are People to People and Adelante, Chicago, syndicated reruns of 30 Rock, and the religious programs Singsation!, Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...
and Believer's Walk of Faith with Pastor Bill Winston. At one time in 2007, WGN America broadcast The Steve Wilkos Show
The Steve Wilkos Show
The Steve Wilkos Show is a syndicated American tabloid talk show hosted by Steve Wilkos. The show debuted on September 10, 2007, two months after Wilkos' departure as director of security on The Jerry Springer Show.-History:...
, airing one hour before WGN-TV's airing of the show.
The Illinois Lottery
Illinois State Lottery
The Illinois Lottery is run by the government of Illinois. The Lottery was founded in 1974, when U.S. lotteries were confined to the Northeast and Midwestern states. Televised drawings are based at the West Bradley Place studios of Chicago's CW affiliate WGN-TV , and occur twice daily, with the...
is the only U.S. state lottery which televises their non multi-jurisdictional drawings to a national audience, due to WGN America's simulcasts of the lottery's drawings; the live drawings air weekdays during the midday newscast and nightly during the primetime newscast, respectively at 12:40 and 9:22 p.m. CT; the winning numbers for all games drawn in the midday and evening drawings are also shown if either the noon or 9 p.m. newscasts are preempted, and on weekend afternoons during scheduled programming in the 1 p.m. ET time slot, where the numbers are shown either during a commercial break or in an on-screen graphic within the program; in addition, the Tuesday and Friday night Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
and Wednesday and Saturday night Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
multi-state lottery drawings (both of which the Illinois Lottery also participates in) are also simulcast on WGN America at 11 p.m. ET on those nights (except during an ongoing sports telecast). Because of WGN America's ubiquitous distribution in the state of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, the Iowa Lottery
Iowa Lottery
The Iowa Lottery is run by the government of Iowa. It is a charter member of, and home to, the Multi-State Lottery Association , which administers its games on behalf of the member lotteries...
thus uses Illinois' lottery numbers for their own Pick 3 and Pick 4 games daily.
Sports programming
WGN America airs all Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
games televised on WGN-TV's local Chicago feed. It also simulcasts about 10 Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
NBA games from the local feed but due to the 2011 NBA season postponed and in danger of being canceled no games are being televised. The local station has rights to carry additional Bulls games, as well as a number of Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
NHL games. However, due to broadcast rights restrictions imposed by the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
respectively, WGN America is not allowed to carry other games from Bulls schedule, outside of the 10 games allowed to air outside Chicago market or any Blackhawks game that the local station carries. WGN America substitutes games not cleared for national carriage with movies and/or syndicated programs in those cases. With former superstation TBS having moved its national broadcasts of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
to its local Atlanta WPCH-TV feed in 2008, it leaves WGN as the only superstation broadcasting local sports to a national audience.
Certain related programming carried locally, such as the Blackhawks' victory parade following the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961...
and a half-hour special paying tribute to the late Cubs player and broadcaster Ron Santo
Ron Santo
Ronald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...
in 2011
2011 Chicago Cubs season
The 2011 Major League Baseball season was the 139th Chicago Cubs baseball season. The official successor to Lou Pinella was Mike Quade, who was signed to a 2-year deal...
, have also not been shown on WGN America, though in the latter case a few Tribune and Local TV LLC partner stations aired the funeral on their digital subchannel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
s.
WGN in Canada
On January 17, 2007, many cable systems in Canada, as well as satellite provider Star Choice (now Shaw Direct), switched to the WGN-TV Chicago feed, duplicating CW network shows 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 WGN's superstation feed. WGN America continues to be carried on other cable systems in Canada (such as MTS TVManitoba Telecom Services
Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. , or MTS , formerly Manitoba Telephone System, is the primary telecommunications carrier in the Canadian province of Manitoba and the fourth largest telecommunications provider in Canada with 7000 employees...
, which carries both WGN America and WGN-TV Chicago), while Bell TV has been carrying the WGN-TV Chicago feed for several years. WGN also is carried as part of the NHL Centre Ice
NHL Centre Ice
NHL Centre Ice is a Canadian digital cable subscription Out-of-Market Sports Package. It is offered by three national satellite television service providers, Bell TV, TELUS Optik TV, Telus Satellite TV, and Shaw Direct and many digital cable television providers such as Rogers, Shaw, Cogeco and...
sports package in Canada as well, primarily for simulcasts of Chicago Blackhawks games.
WGN America HD
WGN America HD is a high definitionHigh-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
simulcast of WGN America, broadcasting programming available in HD in the 1080i
1080i
1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels...
picture format. Select syndicated programs (such as 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother and Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
baseball and Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
basketball games, and WGN-TV's noon and 9 p.m. newscasts are currently broadcast in high definition. WGN-TV began broadcasting its newscasts in high definition on July 19, 2008. It is available on Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
, Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, AT&T U-verse, Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
and other select cable providers, as well as via satellite providers Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
and DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
.
Slogans
- "Chicago's Very Own" (1983–present; used during WGN newscasts)
- "Entertaining America" (1997–2001)
- "It's Great to Be Home" (2005–2008)
- "TV You Can't Ignore" (2008–2009)
- "Everywhere America Calls Home" (2009–2010)