WGN America converting from a superstation to a conventional cable channel

[James28]

WGN America is currently in the process of transitioning from a superstation to a general entertainment cable channel. As part of this transition, they have introduced two original series, Salem and Manhattan, during 2014.

They are also planning to phase out its telecasts of Chicago Cubs, White Sox and Bulls games around January 2015. A reason cited for the decision is limited viewership and advertising revenue generated from the sports broadcasts outside the Chicago market.

Also, WGN News at Nine had already been dropped from WGN America last January.

The transformation is part of the Tribune Company's corporate restructuring after exiting bankruptcy in December 2012, which also included a recent (August 2014) spinning-off of Tribune's publishing operations. The Tribune Company's president and CEO in May 2014 stated that 50% of U.S. cable providers would begin offering WGN America as a conventional cable channel by the end of 2014, with all cable providers offering it as a basic cable service by around 2016.

[mets82]

Salem and Manhattan are available here in CT. via on demand service but thats it. It seems like WGN America is no different than what TBS used to be.

[MrCleveland]

DARN!...

Looks like the superstation is fading away...and if I was richer, I wouldn't have minded making WBNX (Cleveland's CW Affiliate) be a superstation for Cleveland. It'd be either it'd be 55.2 (which is a standard definition station featuring programs by Ernest Angely and E/I shows) or 55.4 on antenna, but nationally...it'd either be Channel 155 or 255 and the line-up would look like this....

Weekdays...

6 a.m.-The Daily Buzz
8 a.m.-Everybody Loves Raymond
8:30 a.m.-Yes, Dear
9 a.m.-Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
9:30 a.m.-The Cosby Show
10 a.m.-Gimme a Break!
10:30 a.m.-The Facts of Life
11 a.m.-Frasier
11:30 a.m.-Home Improvement
12 p.m.-Full House
12:30 p.m.-Family Matters
1 p.m.-The Drew Carey Show
1:30 p.m.-Kate and Allie
2 p.m.-Tiny Toons
2:30 p.m.-Animaniacs
3 p.m.-Ducktales
3:30 p.m.-Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers
4 p.m.-Tail Spin
4:30-Darkwing Duck
5 p.m.-Head of the Class
5:30 p.m.-Mr. Belvedere
6 p.m.-Rules of Engagement
6:30 p.m.-The Middle
7 p.m.-The Office*
7:30 p.m.-Community*
8 p.m.-Movie*
10 p.m.-Friends*
10:30 p.m.-Seinfeld*
11 p.m.-King of the Hill*
11:30 p.m.-South Park*
12 a.m.-MST3K*
2 a.m.-Monty Python
2:30 a.m.-Chappelle's Show
3 a.m.-Family Guy
3:30 a.m.-American Dad
4 a.m.-The Cleveland Show
4:30 a.m.-The Andy Griffith Show
5 a.m.-The Dick van Dyke Show
5:30 a.m.-I Love Lucy

Saturday

6 a.m.-An E/I Show
6:30 a.m.-An E/I Show
7 a.m.-All you can watch Cartoons (It'll be mostly Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies, Tom and Jerry, Hanna-Barbera Shows, Tiny Toons, and Animaniacs hosted by Mr Yzarc.)
12 p.m.-Looney Tunes Show
12:30 p.m.-Garfield and Friends
1 p.m.-An E/I Show*
1:30 p.m.-An E/I Show*
2 p.m.-An E/I Show*
2:30 p.m.-An E/I Show*
3 p.m.-Johnny Carson*
4 p.m.-Carol Burnett Show*
5 p.m.-That 70's Show*
5:30 p.m.-Malcolm in the Middle*
6 p.m.-Movie*
8 p.m.-Movie
10 p.m.-Craptastic Movie Show (This is a show that me and my brother made up where we riff bad films whether public domain or owned by someone else. There's also fake commercials and sketches in between, and yes...I want to have this end the sketches)....

12 a.m.-MST3K
2 a.m.-Big Chuck and Lil' John skits
2:30 a.m.-Whose Line is it Anyway? (Drew Carey Version)
3 a.m.-Family Guy
3:30 a.m.-American Dad
4 a.m.-The Cleveland Show
4:30 a.m.-King of the Hill
5 a.m.-An E/I Show
5:30 a.m.-An E/I Show

Sunday

6 a.m.-An E/I Show
6:30 a.m.-An E/I Show
7 a.m.-The Ninety and Nine Club
8 a.m.-Sing, Sing, Sing! Come On Let's Sing!
9 a.m.-The Ernest Angely Hour (whether classic or modern)
10 a.m.-Movie
12 p.m.-Movie or sporting event
2 p.m.-Movie or sporting event
4 p.m.-AFV (Saget and/or Bergeron) or sporting event
5 p.m.-Wonderful World of Disney
6 p.m.-Ed Sullivan Show
7 p.m.-Family Movie
9 p.m.-Movie
11 p.m.-Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in
12 p.m.-Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
1 a.m.-Saturday Night Live
2 a.m.-Big Chuck and Lil John Skits
3 a.m.-Family Guy
3:30 a.m.-American Dad
4 a.m.-South Park
4:30 a.m.-King of the Hill
5 a.m.-Rocky and Bullwinkle
5:30 a.m.-Underdog

I'm sure I won't get much ratings, but this superstation will play Cleveland Indians Games and/or Cavaliers games where the asterisks are.

[UMFaninMD]

The only reasons I watch WGN are for Salem, In the Heat of the Night and Matlock reruns. My grandfather also likes the latter two, sometimes he'll watch their noon news (shown in Maryland at 1:00), baseball games and Law & Order. It's a shame that the superstation has become a thing of the past, but money and ratings talk and the bulk of the viewership for a superstation lineup isn't there anymore.

[MrCleveland]

Originally Posted by UMFaninMD

The only reasons I watch WGN are for Salem, In the Heat of the Night and Matlock reruns. My grandfather also likes the latter two, sometimes he'll watch their noon news (shown in Maryland at 1:00), baseball games and Law & Order. It's a shame that the superstation has become a thing of the past, but money and ratings talk and the bulk of the viewership for a superstation lineup isn't there anymore.

Yep...

People want variety, yet want the station to be a cash cow...if you have cash cow shows/music...there's NO quality! You have a superstation and you know how much it'll cost now?...About the finest toilet paper you'll EVER find!

Where's the ****ing logic?!