NewsNation Launch Thread

[tyrannical bastard 3442]

4 hours ago, DENDude said:

The KWGN/KDVR app sucks, I un-installed it about a month ago, it would crash when viewing video, and then they changed a feature on the android app that made it hard to shut off push notifications. 

 

Some of the ex-Tribune stations still have their Roku channels (and stations like WJW never got one).  Nexstar had a few for a select few of their legacy stations (KOLR, WBRE/WYOU), but they seem to have all disappeared.

And those of ex-Tribune stations those that got one, many didn't even stream the newscasts on them.  Subsequent owners that took over the cast-offs fixed this in many places, if they did them in the first place.

[Jase 818]

On 7/15/2020 at 12:02 PM, LoadStar said:

A little surprised at how heavily the WGN America brand is being featured. I would have previously guessed that they would have treated this more as a channel-sharing arrangement, with NewsNation being it's own "channel."

What’s unknown is what they plan on doing with WGN America. Will it morph into a 24/7 news network or will it continue to be a general entertainment channel with NewsNation being the crown jewel, if you will.

I think it should be the latter because the last thing we need is another 24/7 news channel. If programmed correctly, the channel could become a big success. I expect (or hope) we see a brand new WGN America come Sept. 1. 

[ABC 7 Denver 1552]

3 hours ago, jase said:

What’s unknown is what they plan on doing with WGN America. Will it morph into a 24/7 news network or will it continue to be a general entertainment channel with NewsNation being the crown jewel, if you will.

I think it should be the latter because the last thing we need is another 24/7 news channel. WGN America, if programmed correctly, could become a big success. I expect (or hope) we see a brand new WGN America come Sept. 1. 

 

To be honest, knowing the money that Nexstar is sinking into this, and the lack of original content the WGN America has, I wouldn't be surprised that if over time, NewsNation completely supplants WGN America... Even at the cost Nexstar is paying when they have all of these national resources, I think the syndication costs for WGN America are just too expensive.

 

As well, I'd like to point out, Nexstar has 125 Fox and CW stations (conservatively), making this the largest block of their affiliates which, too, lack a national newscast, as neither is provided by their respected network affiliations. I think the play here is to launch something on the network broadcast stage with the big boys. Once things get up and running on WGN America, Nexstar is going to launch a hour or half hour block against the network newscasts as an alternative to their perceived 'liberal biases'. Like we've seen at small groups, like TEGNA and Scripps, in-house productions tend to be cheaper than national syndication. So it's more effective for Nexstar to leverage their NewsNation coverage and produce something for their local stations. In fact, they could very well go an additional route by adding a morning block for their Fox and CW stations. It's cheaper to have a bigger crew in Chicago and strip those affiliates of some journalists because they don't need to air quite so much local programming. This is a better move than say, Sinclair, who would just pad their schedule with infomercials because at the end of the day, you are getting a larger block of ad revenue at a reduced cost for the number of stations.

[Megatron81 179]

I have seen promos for News Nation on the Nexstar TV stations in West Michigan just odd seeing it on Nexstar as I still think of Fox17 being sister stations with WGN just like seeing an article from WGN on Wood TV's website back in Jan. As for Antenna TV I haven't seen a promo for News Nation since that is WXMI's .-2 since launch in 2010 I doubt they would and just put Fox promo or what Fox17 airs weekdays just my opinion. 

[Nelson R. 560]

On 7/17/2020 at 3:22 AM, ABC 7 Denver said:

 

To be honest, knowing the money that Nexstar is sinking into this, and the lack of original content the WGN America has, I wouldn't be surprised that if over time, NewsNation completely supplants WGN America... Even at the cost Nexstar is paying when they have all of these national resources, I think the syndication costs for WGN America are just too expensive.

 

As well, I'd like to point out, Nexstar has 125 Fox and CW stations (conservatively), making this the largest block of their affiliates which, too, lack a national newscast, as neither is provided by their respected network affiliations. I think the play here is to launch something on the network broadcast stage with the big boys. Once things get up and running on WGN America, Nexstar is going to launch a hour or half hour block against the network newscasts as an alternative to their perceived 'liberal biases'. Like we've seen at small groups, like TEGNA and Scripps, in-house productions tend to be cheaper than national syndication. So it's more effective for Nexstar to leverage their NewsNation coverage and produce something for their local stations. In fact, they could very well go an additional route by adding a morning block for their Fox and CW stations. It's cheaper to have a bigger crew in Chicago and strip those affiliates of some journalists because they don't need to air quite so much local programming. This is a better move than say, Sinclair, who would just pad their schedule with infomercials because at the end of the day, you are getting a larger block of ad revenue at a reduced cost for the number of stations.

A good idea in theory...I think the evening newscast would probably be at 6:30 or 7 Eastern for a half hour. I don’t think Nexstar’s Fox affiliates that run an hour of news at 6pm Eastern would want to give up the second half hour of local news because the the Big 3 stations are airing network news so I could see them airing it at 7. But the stations that have a duopoly partner like WJZY could air it at 6:30 (WMYT). I could also see WYCW airing it at 6:30. And I could see Big 3 affiliates such as WNCN airing it at 7. (They don’t have a duopoly partner). I could see a morning show airing from something like 7-9 or 6-9 am on Nexstar’s CW and MyNet stations like WMYT that do not have news, like the Sinclair program set to debut next year. But the Fox stations have their own news, a station like WGHP without a duopoly partner could put it on their .2 channel I guess.

[24994J 5269]

Mic flags are being sent out to affiliates. I wonder if this might negate the need for the dozens of Nexstar flags on a string that some talent have to carry for national events. Probably not.

 

 

[Jase 818]

1 hour ago, 24994J said:

Mic flags are being sent out to affiliates. I wonder if this might negate the need for the dozens of Nexstar flags on a string that some talent have to carry for national events. Probably not.

WGN America is on one (or both) of the other sides. The NewsNation flag should replace the need to carry other ones and make things a lot easier/simpler for everyone. We shall see...

Not all Nexstar stations got these. Reportedly, just 110 did/will.

 

 

[CircleSeven 1944]

55 minutes ago, jase said:

Not all Nexstar stations got these. Reportedly, just 110 did/will.

There are many markets where Nexstar runs two separately branded newscasts in one building.

[ABC 7 Denver 1552]

33 minutes ago, CircleSeven said:

There are many markets where Nexstar runs two separately branded newscasts in one building.

 

I'm surprised they don't say [News Nation]

[Jase 818]

1 hour ago, CircleSeven said:

There are many markets where Nexstar runs two separately branded newscasts in one building.

Of course...I should have said 110 packages went out to Nexstar stations across the country.

[24994J 5269]

Studio 1 will be free again soon...for nothing, as the News Nation crew will be moving upstairs to the nearly-completed newsroom, starting tomorrow.

 

 

[Spring Rubber 609]

I still want to work in that big Texas region!

[ED2 144]

On 7/22/2020 at 6:06 PM, 24994J said:

Studio 1 will be free again soon...for nothing, as the News Nation crew will be moving upstairs to the nearly-completed newsroom, starting tomorrow.

 

 

Maybe that studio will become the new performance area for WGN Morning News when the whole pandemic thing dies down (eventually).

[24994J 5269]

13 minutes ago, ED2 said:

Maybe that studio will *return to being the* performance area for WGN Morning News [...]

 

Corrected that for ya.

[ED2 144]

1 hour ago, 24994J said:

 

Corrected that for ya.

thank you

[Jase 818]

News Nation music package. Just a little taste! 
 

NewsNation theme, music package

[MorningNews 1289]

Sounds very CNNish.

[ABC 7 Denver 1552]

2 hours ago, MorningNews said:

Sounds very CNNish.

 

Guess what. Both composed by Stephen Arnold Music.

[Jase 818]

1 hour ago, ABC 7 Denver said:

 

Guess what. Both composed by Stephen Arnold Music.

I like it. It has a very soothing, yet authoritative feel to it. 

[ABC 7 Denver 1552]

5 minutes ago, jase said:

I like it. It has a very soothing, yet authoritative feel to it. 

 

It's really hard to tell what it's going to sound like. You heard the instrument stems in that video, not the full mix.

[Jase 818]

8 hours ago, ABC 7 Denver said:

 

It's really hard to tell what it's going to sound like. You heard the instrument stems in that video, not the full mix.

I disagree. It’s clear exactly what the signature movement, if you will, is as they build around it. Doubtful the overall end product will be radically different than what was presented. 

[sfomspphl 453]

Sounds more melodic than a lot of other themes these days so that's good.

[Technically A Director 164]

11 hours ago, ABC 7 Denver said:

 

It's really hard to tell what it's going to sound like. You heard the instrument stems in that video, not the full mix.

The instrumental you're hearing just was what they were recording live. They were playing along to an unfinished (or basically finished) version of the tune, probably for isolating the different instruments for different cuts.

 

Not a bad first impression tbh. I'll be interested to hear the full final cut and how it's used within the show.

[Megatron81 179]

I did see a promo for News Nation on Antenna TV a few days ago.

[Kenneth Kissel 280]

I find it appalling Nexstar has enough money to get a new news set and graphics for News Nation but can't fix a station in Wheeling with new Graphics. These are from WTRF's 5 PM newscast on 8/6/2020. Nexstar bought this station in 2017.