WGN dropping CW affiliation

[VARTV 1]

Tribune has The CW on a very strong station in Hampton Roads, WGNT...

[alex979 119]

Well, WGN Morning News is now reporting on the station's return to independence. Larry, Robin, and Paul wasted no time in lamenting that they would be losing all of the "great hits" from the CW... "This is a huge blow!" -Robin

 

Their entertainment reporter Dean Richards reported that, obviously, WGN will now be able to focus more on primetime local sporting events. "High quality syndicated programming" will also be added, as well as more news. An expanded weekend morning news show was specifically mentioned.

[TheRolyPoly 2546]

Well, WGN Morning News is now reporting on the station's return to independence. Larry, Robin, and Paul wasted no time in lamenting that they would be losing all of the "great hits" from the CW... "This is a huge blow!" -Robin

 

Their entertainment reporter Dean Richards reported that, obviously, WGN will now be able to focus more on primetime local sporting events. "High quality syndicated programming" will also be added, as well as more news. An expanded weekend morning news show was specifically mentioned.

 

Yep. Don't be surprised if the weekend morning news goes from 6:00-9:00am, or possibly, 6:00-10:00am.

 

And notice that this Tribune situation ONLY affects Chicago as the rest of their stations stay intact.

[Eat News 4745]

This now opens the door for NBC to buy KRON and ABC to sell it's O&O's to Scripps.

 

This will also cause KUSI to get a new set from FX or BDI or Gil.

[swillh2k2 203]

This now opens the door for NBC to buy KRON and ABC to sell it's O&O's to Scripps.

 

Wait, I thought ABC was buying a 20% stake in Scripps or taking them over altogether?

 

[Daybreak 289]

This now opens the door for NBC to buy KRON and ABC to sell it's O&O's to Scripps.

 

This will also cause KUSI to get a new set from FX or BDI or Gil.

 

Why would NBC buy KRON again. I just think people miss KRON as an NBC station that all it really is wishful thinking. I highly doubt that

[swillh2k2 203]

Why would NBC buy KRON again. I just think people miss KRON as an NBC station that all it really is wishful thinking. I highly doubt that

 

...

 

[Action Newsroom 1299]

Why would NBC buy KRON again. I just think people miss KRON as an NBC station that all it really is wishful thinking. I highly doubt that

 

[CircleSeven 1960]

More from Feder. He states that plans are in the works to add at least one extra hour of news on Saturday Mornings.

[WFTV Channel 9 80]

Huh? Are you referring to WGN - TV or WGN America? WGN America was launched back on cable in Chicago when they dropped its status as a superstation.

 

http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/12/15/wgn-america-comes-home-to-chicago/

I was referring to WGN. Not WGN America. The Chicago feed was available on cable systems back in the 1980s and 1990s back when they were an independent station and a small time as a WB affiliate. I was wondering if they may do that again should they become an independent station.

[SterlingNorth 33]

Tribune hasn't been happy with The CW and this is probably just the first of their stations to drop the affiliation.

For now, it is exactly just WGN. Tribune renewed the affiliation with the other twelve stations.

[nickp 339]

Channel 9 general manager Greg Easterly: "WGN is the heartbeat of local news and sports in Chicago. We're very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and the freedom of being an independent station in the nation's third-largest market."

[TheRolyPoly 2546]

Channel 9 general manager Greg Easterly: "WGN is the heartbeat of local news and sports in Chicago. We're very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and the freedom of being an independent station in the nation's third-largest market."

 

And that's why WGN will do well without The CW.

[CircleSeven 1960]

Phil Rosenthal for the Trib is basically saying why not bring back a well-known fixture to the station??

[Action Newsroom 1299]

Phil Rosenthal for the Trib is basically saying why not bring back a well-known fixture to the station??

I've never thought I'd see such a convincingly powerful, brilliant and wholehearted argument in an article for something unconventional.

And it's for a television clown.

[alex979 119]

I think this pretty much gets to the heart of his argument..

But it also makes perfect sense to use WGN as a lab for programming and formats that can air on other Tribune-owned stations and beyond through syndication or WGN America, the national cable channel that once simulcast the Chicago station but now operates on its own.

When I read the headline, I thought it a joke... But could this be crazy enough to work, once a week, maybe on Saturday morning? They still have the studio!

[24994J 5619]

It all might be a little tongue in cheek, but he makes a valid point. To just throw on some syndie dramas and comedies or even more news would seem like a missed opportunity. Maybe not Bozo, but there must be some competent minds in programming that could come up with something else creative to put on the air.

[Action Newsroom 1299]

But I think it would work too.

Clowns are still a wonderful source of entertainment for families. And wirh today's kids, they need something different from the stuff filling up their phones and iPads. For this station and in this situation, Bozo most definitely can be it.

 

But I can really see this: the people filling up the Peanut Gallery during (possible) broadcasts are the adults that grew up loving/watching him decades ago.

I can see their faces cheering and screaming Bozo's name repeatedly as he chucks pies across the studio.

[PanchamBro 19]

...

 

Why did this happened in the first place?

[NEOMatrix 1305]

Phil Rosenthal for the Trib is basically saying why not bring back a well-known fixture to the station??

Why not? Three hours of easy E/I if they format it right.

[William1111 41]

This now opens the door for NBC to buy KRON and ABC to sell it's O&O's to Scripps.

 

This will also cause KUSI to get a new set from FX or BDI or Gil.

 

Knew it.

I knew KRON was going to be mentioned in some way, shape, or form (even if it's in a satirical manner).

 

Can't stop the KRONic topic.

[Jase 1065]

And that's why WGN will do well without The CW.

 

I wouldn't go as far as saying they will do well. They can 'survive' for sure, but in what form remains to be seen. With the Cubs, White Sox and Blackhawks performing better than ever before, this works in their favor for now, but could easily change. Plus, if the Cubs continue to perform like they have, I can't see WGN outbidding WLS for the package they (WLS) currently has or convincing the Cubs not to start their own network.

 

Becoming an independent again after 20+ years is a huge gamble, which is likely why Tribune Media didn't cut ties with the CW completely. I guess WGN is the guinea pig to see if they can make this work elsewhere in the future. The TV landscape has changed a lot over the years and I wish WGN all the best.

[channel2 982]

If Tribune/WGN is willing to program the station with more flavor than most local stations, then this could work, and perhaps show us what local TV can look like if the networks ever decide they no longer need local TV.

 

I really hope they don't just lean heavily on newscasts and/or their sports rights, which could all go away someday.

[Weeters 1969]

I wouldn't go as far as saying they will do well. They can 'survive' for sure, but in what form remains to be seen. With the Cubs, White Sox and Blackhawks performing better than ever before, this works in their favor for now, but could easily change. Plus, if the Cubs continue to perform like they have, I can't see WGN outbidding WLS for the package they (WLS) currently has or convincing the Cubs not to start their own network.

 

WGN may have the ability to reclaim the games that ended up on WLS when the contract is up in a few years. It always seemed to me like they opted out of those games to begin with.

 

Plus, now that there's zero things to worry about preempting, they can go to the Cubs and say they're as good as a team network without the costs involved.

 

They'd be stupid to not build on the sports programming they already carry.

[24994J 5619]

I wouldn't go as far as saying they will do well. They can 'survive' for sure, but in what form remains to be seen. [...] Becoming an independent again after 20+ years is a huge gamble, which is likely why Tribune Media didn't cut ties with the CW completely. I guess WGN is the guinea pig to see if they can make this work elsewhere in the future. The TV landscape has changed a lot over the years and I wish WGN all the best.

Weekend morning ratings are virtually irrelevant, and Bill Cunningham likely wasn't maintaining much of Maury's audience. Combine that with the fact that the 9 o'clock news frequently draws 3 to 4 times the viewers of the 8pm lead-in, and I fail to see how they would do anything less than 'survive'. Outside of the occasional Dean Richards interview with a series star, The CW was already a virtual non-factor in the life or death of WGN.