WGN America

This article is about the national version of WGN-TV. For the local Chicago television station, see WGN-TV.

WGN America
Launched	October 1978
Network	Independent (1978-1995, 1999-present) The WB/Kids' WB (1995-1999)
Owned by	Tribune Company (Tribune Broadcasting)
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Slogan	Chicago's Very Own (used only during WGN newscasts)
Country	United States
Language	English
Broadcast area	United States Canada (via cable)
Headquarters	Chicago (programming)/ New York (sales)
Formerly called	WGN (1978-2001) WGN Superstation (2001-2002) Superstation WGN (2002-2008)
Sister channel(s)	WGN-TV, CLTV, WGN (AM)
Website	http://www.wgnamerica.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV	Channel 307 (SD/HD)
Dish Network	Channel 239 (SD/HD)
Cable
Verizon FiOS	Consult local lineup for SD channel number Channel 568 (HD)
Available on most other U.S. cable systems	Check local listings for channels
Available on some select Canadian cable systems	Check local listings for channels
IPTV
AT&T U-verse	Channel 180 (SD) Channel 1180 (HD) (not available in the Chicago area)
MTS TV	Channel 245 (SD) Channel 439 (HD)

WGN America (formerly known as "Superstation WGN" and "WGN Superstation") 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.

History

Differences between the Chicago and national feeds

In October 1978, United Video Satellite Group 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 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.

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 Day, 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.

First version of current logo, used from April 2009 to July 1, 2010.

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.

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by WGN America

The network now relies primarily on a variety of re-runs, such as I Dream of Jeannie, 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 slots, 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.

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; 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.

WGN-TV programming

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 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.

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 MDA 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.

Sports programming

WGN America airs all Chicago Cubs 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 subchannels.

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 TV, 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.

WGN America HD

WGN America HD is a high definition 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.

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)

This film, television or video-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it with reliably sourced additions.

External links

• Official website
• Interview with WGN America