WGN America

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WGN America
Launched	1978
Network	The WB/Kids' WB (1995-1999)
Owned by	Tribune Company
Slogan	TV you can't ignore
Country	United States
Language	American English
Broadcast area	United States Canada
Formerly called	WGN (1978-2002) Superstation WGN (2002-2008)
Sister channel(s)	WGN-TV
Website	WGN America
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV	307
Dish Network	239
Cable
Available on select cable systems	Check local listings for channels

WGN America (formerly known as "Superstation WGN" or "WGN Superstation") is a Chicago-based American superstation for WGN-TV, owned by Tribune Broadcasting Company. WGN America offers its national programming across North America without network programming. It is the only remaining national superstation after TBS became a regular cable channel on October 1, 2007. WGN America is available via satellite to DirecTV and Dish Network in the United States as well as through some smaller Canadian cable companies; most Canadian viewers which previously received the previous Superstation WGN feed now receive the WGN-TV Chicago feed. In the Chicago metropolitan area, WGN America is not available on cable or terrestrial digital but is available to DirecTV and Dish Network viewers.

[edit] History

In October 1978, United Video uplinked the signal of WGN-TV Channel 9 in Chicago to the Satcom-3 satellite for cable and satellite subscribers nationwide. For over 11 years, the national program schedule was the exact same as Chicago's.

In 1989, a new law known as Syndication Exclusivity Rule, or "SyndEx", was passed. This law means that whenever a local station has the exclusive rights to air a syndicated program in their market, it must be covered up on any out-of-town stations by the local cable company. On January 1, 1990, a separate national feed of WGN-TV was launched to avoid any blackouts, save for some sports programming, similar to WWOR-TV's "WWOR EMI Service", only with fewer blackouts.

WGN America's national feed does not carry the WGN Morning News (it is claimed that the newscast was dropped in 1996 from Superstation WGN due to "SyndEx" rules on some segments) but does air the Noon and 9 p.m. (Central Time) newscasts, along with the Illinois State Lottery and Mega Millions multstate lottery drawings. The evening newscast is occasionally pre-empted nationally due to Chicago Bulls basketball games cleared only on WGN-TV Chicago but not on WGN America or if a movie on WGN America runs long.

Another major programming difference between the national and Chicago area feeds is that WGN America does not carry CW Network programming (which does appear on WGN-TV Chicago), as that network is available in most markets around the country. Superstation WGN did carry programming from the former WB Network nationwide (which Tribune had an ownership interest in) from the network's launch in 1995 until 1999, when local station coverage was deemed sufficient enough by Time Warner and Tribune to discontinue airing The WB on Superstation WGN. Moreover, some markets with Tribune-owned stations do not have WGN America on analogue or digital cable.

Both the Chicago area and national feeds feature Cubs and White Sox baseball games and air a select amount of Bulls basketball games. Due to NBA broadcast rights restrictions, most Bulls games contracted to air on WGN-TV are seen in the Chicago area only; WGN America airs movies and other syndicated programming instead. Nearly half of WGN-produced White Sox games and eight Cubs games air on WCIU-TV for the Chicago market only. 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.[1]

On May 24, 2008, Superstation WGN formally changed its name to WGN America. Initially, its use was limited to promos, as the Superstation WGN idents remained in use. The new name and logo went into fulltime use on the channel on Memorial Day, May 26, 2008. The channel would soon begin a slow change in its programming lineup, starting with a Sunday night "Out of Sight Retro Night" block, featuring older programs such as WKRP in Cincinnati, Newhart and The Honeymooners, some of which aired on WGN prior to the syndex era, or even after the start of syndex on the Chicago signal only. The transition process for a full rebranding is expected to take 12 to 18 months.^[1]

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 ^[2].

[edit] Shows

[edit] Currently airing

• 24
• Adelante, Chicago
• Amazing Facts
• American Idol Rewind
• America's Funniest Home Videos - Fugelsang/Fuentes & Bergeron eras
• Becker
• Believer's Voice of Victory
• The Beverly Hillbillies
• Bewitched
• Chappelle's Show
• Corner Gas
• The Cosby Show
• Da Vinci's Inquest
• Da Vinci's City Hall (airs as part of the Da Vinci's Inquest package)
• Even Stevens
• Funniest Pets & People
• Happy Days
• Homicide: Life on the Street
• The Honeymooners
• I Dream of Jeannie
• Lizzie McGuire
• Matlock
• Nash Bridges
• Newhart
• Reno 911!
• Scrubs
• Sister, Sister
• Soul Train (best of)
• The Steve Wilkos Show
• WKRP in Cincinnati

[edit] Past Programming

• 21 Jump Street
• Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
• The Andy Griffith Show'
• Animaniacs
• Banana Splits
• Barney Miller
• The Bozo Show
• Bugs Bunny and Friends
• California Dreams
• Car 54, Where Are You?
• Caroline in the City
• Charles in Charge
• Charlie's Angels
• Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
• Coach
• Cooky's Cartoon Club
• C.O.P.S.
• The Dick Van Dyke Show
• The Donna Reed Show
• Designing Women
• DuckTales
• Empty Nest
• The Facts of Life
• Family Matters
• The Flintstones
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
• Full House
• Fun House
• Geraldo
• Gidget
• Good Times
• Hawaii Five-O
• Hill Street Blues
• Home Improvement
• In the Heat of the Night
• The Jeffersons
• The Joan Rivers Show
• Jonny Quest
• Leave it to Beaver
• MacGyver
• Magnum, P.I.
• Mama's Family
• M.A.S.K.
• The Mary Tyler Moore Show
• Match Game '98
• My Three Sons
• Night Court
• The Odd Couple
• One Day at a Time
• Perry Mason
• Phyllis
• Puttin' On the Hits
• Saved by the Bell
• Street Justice
• Suddenly Susan
• Tales From the Darkside
• TaleSpin
• Taxi
• Tiny Toon Adventures
• Trapper John, M.D.
• Twilight Zone
• Webster
• Welcome Back Kotter
• Will & Grace
• The Wonder Years
• Yogi Bear

[edit] WGN in Canada

On January 17, 2007, many cable systems in Canada, as well as Star Choice, switched to the WGN-TV Chicago feed, duplicating CW Network and many syndicated programs already available on other channels. This is a result of Shaw Broadcast Services (the main supplier of the WGN feed in Canada) switching to the local feed. It is believed that the switch was made to avoid fees required to carry Superstation WGN. WGN America continues to be carried on other cable systems in Canada, however Bell ExpressVu has been carrying the WGN-TV Chicago feed for several years.

[edit] High Definition

A high definition feed of WGN America is now available on AT&T U-verse and other systems as it becomes available. Cubs and White Sox baseball, Bulls basketball and most episodes of Corner Gas are in high definition.

WGN is also broadcasted in HD in Central Illinois on Comcast Cable.

[edit] Logos

Note: WGN America used WGN-TV Chicago logos until 1995.

WGN's logo from 1995-2001. This is the second "modern" logo, in blue. the "G" is an inverted "9", which was also used by Superstation WGN.	Superstation WGN logo from 2001 to 2002.	WGN logo from 2002-2006. This is the "Circle S" logo.	Superstation WGN logo from 2006 to 2008.
WGN America logo from 2008.

[edit] See also

• WGN-TV
• List of DirecTV channels
• List of Dish Network channels

[edit] External links

• WGN America website