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OT: TV You Can't Ignore......

For those of you IN Chicago, Superstation WGN....is no more.

The rebranding of Tribco's 'underutilized'  asset (by their own words) began today,  Memorial Day. as "WGN AMERICA -- TV YOU CAN'T IGNORE.

 http://www.wgnamerica.com/

The new logo features the eyes of a woman. (Lake Elisnore Storm of the California League: Take note)

Randy Michaels, now the head of Tribco Broadcasting is a guy who really can upset the apple cart -- a former shock jock, he ran Clear Channel Communications for years until he was forced out. It is about time that the rather tired 'superstation' be put to pasture, as 25 years ago -- it meant something. Now -- so what?  (And when you run "Corner Gas" there's nothing "Super" about your programming.)

Ah, the days of running "The Last Farewell" by Roger Whittaker over a WGN station ID, are indeed -- long gone.....

 

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Lake Elsinore Storm

Wasn’t thinking of that. The reference to me was Siouxsie and the Banshees.

I doubt that wasn’t intentional.

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on May 26, 2008 4:54 PM CDT   0 recs

Basically there is no reason for anyone to watch WGN other than the Cubs and White Sox, Bulls and coming up the Blackhawks. I really feel sorry for whoever’s job it is to program the station, you really have nowhere to turn with anything that people are going to watch in the 200 channel universe. My only hope is that the station doesn’t go completely kaput and we lose Cubs games nationwide altogether.

by jeff_pico on May 26, 2008 5:22 PM CDT   0 recs

WHAT?!

DaVinci’s Inquest?!
American Idol Rewind?!

and…

BECKER?!!!

Dan

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on May 26, 2008 11:29 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

The logo is creepy...

and the Hawks will NOT be on WGN America.

http://www.wgnamerica.com/contact.html (see last FAQ)

by bison on May 27, 2008 11:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh, that is just freaky.

I think that’s going to scare people away.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 26, 2008 5:42 PM CDT   0 recs

Wow, that website looks like it was designed by a middle school student.

And the eyes? What are they thinking?! This does not work at all.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on May 26, 2008 5:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

No, it's different.

I really thought it was creative. “WGN AMERICA” Is a bold statement. I do believe Michaels, with Tribco is going to start creatively programming that asset. TBS became one of the most-watched cable channels and it really wasn’t because of the Braves. WGN Superstaion has always settled on half-baked, over-played second-tier reruns.

Classic shows have a place, but they better be good. “24” is an example. But that’s all WGN Superstaion had. “Scubs” works, but the show can be found on about 15 other channels. I suspect they will start shelling out bucks for off-net shows that wind up on A & E, or TNT, etc etc. I also (and this would be too bad, but I understand) see the Noon News and 9pm news leaving WGN America. They are speed bumps to anybody who is not from Chicago.

They also made mistakes with the shows they had. “Homicide” - an award winning program rolls at 11am EST? Why would the male dominated audience be there to watch? That needed to be stripped after the late news - 11p EST, not freakin” Corner Gas” a HORRIBLE Canadian comedy.

I also liked the way the eye logo would find its’ way to different corners of the screen.
The CBS ‘eye’ never quite did that. Jack Benny wouldn’t have liked it.

No, the station won’t go ‘kaput.’ My guess is in a couple of years, it will finally show in the cable ratings. All these years, it barely moved the needle while TBS zoomed past to become a network.

And, the Lake Elsinore Storm: The Eyes of the Storm…I think THIS is creepy, not the new WGN America logo

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 26, 2008 6:07 PM CDT   0 recs

I think they'll keep the Chicago news...

... to give the station some Chicago identity. Neither really interferes with any key dayparts.

Sorry, that logo is creepy.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 26, 2008 6:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You really don't need to do so, Al.

The sports can give the station its’ Chicago identity. Why not then run the Morning News? It has never aired on the Superstation. Why not? To not upstage their other Tribco stations that also do AM news blocks? (Granted, there aren’t many left outside of L-A or NY.)

I check out the WGN news blocks, but I’m a native. It’s of little importance to some guy in Idaho. He’s tuned out, probably over to TNT, catching a rerun of “ER.”

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 26, 2008 6:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

the reason

the Morning new was never run was that someof the syndicated portions of the morning news could not be shown in other parts of the country, so none of it was.

Kasey

See the Cubs 2008 schedule (with TV schedule & game-by-game results) at http://ignarski.tripod.com/sched2008.html

by kaseyi on May 27, 2008 5:19 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Agree on some points

Really weak website design, but what do you expect from WGN – just look at Cubs games versus TBS ones. Not that all the “bells and whistles” are necessary but WGN has always appeared a bit overly “retro” in its sports presentations.

Would it kill to have a “K-zone” like graphic? (BTW: Mike Reily sure needed one today! Worst strike zone I have seen all year – he was guessing all day.)

The programming lineup leaves a lot to be desired as well.

And YES…the eyes are very creepy!

D-LEE!

by airweino on May 26, 2008 6:32 PM CDT   0 recs

K-zone is silly

The pitcher, batter, catcher, and umpire don’t see a square with a little crosshair thingy at the position the ball crossed the plate. The viewers and commentators can pretty well figure out what kind of strike zone an ump has on a given day, and the side- and top-view replay cams actually show the ball moving through the zone against the plate or the player’s body (which is what actually happens, because the zone is three-dimensional… and sort of ambiguous). Dwelling too much on ball-strike calls is just an excuse to whine anyway, and it’s not always the most interesting thing that could be shown or talked about.

by aldimond on May 26, 2008 7:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Agreed

Just using k-zone as an example.

D-LEE!

by airweino on May 27, 2008 3:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Brilliant!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsbvE-Ezwg0

Sorry to make you navigate away….it won’t link otherwise. But, I’m sure Wally Phillips himself gave this 45 to the TV people and said - “Hey, this will make a good music bed.” WGN, being somewhat frugal - agreed. So, the opening :15 (or the last :10, take your pick) was the musical ID of local and national WGN in the early 1980s…

Roger Whittaker…..”The Last Farewell…..”

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 26, 2008 6:34 PM CDT   0 recs

I'm telling ya...

the female eyes are gonna work. I really mean it…..kinda Courtney Cox like…..you can laugh…but Randy Michaels took Clear Channel, once a group of dumpy stations to a national concern. (Some might say, not especially for good—but he made a massive impact.) And, I guarantee his hands are all over this move.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 26, 2008 6:39 PM CDT   0 recs

Wow, you're really sucked in by promotions.

I hate it. But hey, that’s just me.

You’re right about Randy Michaels, though. I worry about someone who began a radio format called “Power Pig”.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 26, 2008 8:20 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't know if "sucked in"

is how I would describe it, but something that gets one’s attention on a crowded dial works. The big three are using this device way too much—with those mini-animated promos that run about :10 during programming at the bottom of the screen – in fact NBC now leaves a promo running in the left hand corner during prime time. That’s frustrating.

However, HD TV makes those little promos ‘effective.’ Of course, they are a bit disturbing, this extra content while you are trying to watch a show—but networks are trying to bring in eyeballs any way possible.

(And the use of “eyeballs” isn’t a reverence to the WGN America logo…...just some irony.)

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 27, 2008 12:38 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think the new logo is creepy.

When I first saw the new logo this afternoon, I thought it was a commercial for the Chiller channel. The name, though (WGN America), is a welcome change.

Of course, if the station improves the ratings will go up regardless of the logo.

I just hope they keep the nightly news. It’s the place to watch the Cubs celebration when the team wins the pennant.

by Fraggin Judge on May 26, 2008 8:13 PM CDT   0 recs

Maybe this means WGN will catch up with some of their Chicago competitors and start airing the news in HD.

WGN and WFLD are the only ones that don’t, as far as I know.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on May 27, 2008 3:20 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

possibly WMAQ, I never catch their news.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on May 27, 2008 3:20 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm just thankful

the bloody thing isn’t present during the games. Jeez.

WGN America: We’re watching you.

Okay, "Wendy: hot and juicy redhead." Give this a try.

by neverAcquiesce on May 27, 2008 10:25 AM CDT   0 recs

The logo is there

they just have to keep it off Bob Brenley’s head, as it appeared in the Lead-Off Man. It has to stay in the bottom left or right corners.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 27, 2008 12:33 PM CDT   0 recs

That's been a pet peeve of mine at my workplace.

They keep doing that—putting various graphic elements in the upper corners where it is inevitably over someone’s head. We directors keep telling the graphics people not to do that, but they never listen.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 27, 2008 1:21 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Siouxsie and the Banshees and Jack Benny

mentioned in the same thread.

I just thought that should be noted.

"Is there anything he can't do?" ~Len Kasper, 4/5/08, on Kosuke Fukudome

by JohnM on May 27, 2008 1:57 PM CDT   0 recs

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