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NewsNation Launch Thread


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Thread Notice: On March 1, 2021 WGN America will rebrand as NewsNation. As it will then become a proper cable news network, this thread documenting the start of the show as it existed on WGN America will be closed on that date. Please consider starting new threads to cover other aspects of the new network.

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21 hours ago, Spring Rubber said:

On Saturday 8/29 at 9pm ET, WGN America is airing a half-hour special (with a rerun immediately following at 9:30pm ET) called "Your News Your Nation: The Making of News Nation". The description is, "A sneak peek at the upcoming, unique nightly newscast 'News Nation' features behind-the-scenes footage and interviews."

 

It's unclear to me if it's just going to be a rehash of the YouTube video, but it kinda sounds like it. Also, airing it on a single Saturday night and not at any other times likely isn't going to attract many eyes. I wouldn't think that WGN America has a big audience on Saturday night, let alone any other night. If anything, I would have expected them to air it on the Monday night before the debut.

That is the same special I posted about last month that Nexstar is syndicating to its OTA stations toward the end of this month. I assume it's similar (if not identical) to the video on YouTube. So it's getting more play than just one Saturday airing on WGNA.

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53 minutes ago, ScottJ said:

That is the same special I posted about last month that Nexstar is syndicating to its OTA stations toward the end of this month. I assume it's similar (if not identical) to the video on YouTube. So it's getting more play than just one Saturday airing on WGNA.

Thanks for reminding me. I did read your post last month and forgot about that. Whoops!

2 hours ago, newstime said:

Interesting. I’m in San Diego (Cox cable) and it still only shows 8-11pm. I’m sure it will be updated. Thanks for checking! 

Not all providers may offer the same feed. I think satellite providers might tend to offer the east coast feed even to west coasters? Not sure if some cable providers might also carry the east feed?

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Per TitanTV, DirecTV seems to carry the East Coast feed of WGN America, as NewsNation is set to air 5 to 8 p.m. (repeating 8 to 11 p.m.).

 

The "making of" ad/special is set to air on KTLA 5 Los Angeles this weekend: Saturday at 7 p.m. (paired with another special entitled "Breaking Bias"); and Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

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13 hours ago, patlovestv said:

Per TitanTV, DirecTV seems to carry the East Coast feed of WGN America, as NewsNation is set to air 5 to 8 p.m. (repeating 8 to 11 p.m.).

 

The "making of" ad/special is set to air on KTLA 5 Los Angeles this weekend: Saturday at 7 p.m. (paired with another special entitled "Breaking Bias"); and Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

Nothing like watching 3 hour old news. I, for one, think this is going to be a huge flop. 

It will air on Spectrum in Southern California from 5 to 8, repeating from 8 to 11 pm. Nobody will watch it here. We have news during all those time periods in the Los Angeles area. Hell, nobody watches Spectrum News 1 in SoCal either. 

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Anyone else find it interesting that News Nation won't air on Chicago's WGN?? Just looked at Titan TV's Schedule for next week on the Local Stations... No sign of News Nation.  Is WGN America on Chicago' s Cable/ Sat. Systems or just WGN 9?

 

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54 minutes ago, jrh1985 said:

Anyone else find it interesting that News Nation won't air on Chicago's WGN?? Just looked at Titan TV's Schedule for next week on the Local Stations... No sign of News Nation.  Is WGN America on Chicago' s Cable/ Sat. Systems or just WGN 9?

 

 

WGNA has been available on Xfinity, RCN, and WOW's Chicago systems since 2014.

 

The show will be on WGNA only.

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30 minutes ago, NBC 5 Chicago said:

Today I saw a promo for News Nation on The Weather Channel today. So they're trying to get the word out. 

Ironically enough, News Nation will be providing viewers with weather during a timeslot when The Weather Channel no longer provides live weather outside of hurricane/severe weather coverage. When The Weather Channel ends live programming at 8pm ET, tune to News Nation to get all your weather!

 

(Yeah, I know basically everyone gets their weather online these days. I was actually surprised a few months ago when it was revealed that News Nation would have weather as a regular feature of their national newscasts. I wonder if that will last.)

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3 hours ago, Spring Rubber said:

Ironically enough, News Nation will be providing viewers with weather during a timeslot when The Weather Channel no longer provides live weather outside of hurricane/severe weather coverage. When The Weather Channel ends live programming at 8pm ET, tune to News Nation to get all your weather!

 

(Yeah, I know basically everyone gets their weather online these days. I was actually surprised a few months ago when it was revealed that News Nation would have weather as a regular feature of their national newscasts. I wonder if that will last.)

 

I wonder how long their weather segments will be? I mean, a whole six or seven minute block would give them ample time to bounce across national weather headlines and get some regional forecasting in. Honestly, it's a good way to break up the news itself. Still, I also wonder how long it will last.

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3 hours ago, Spring Rubber said:

Ironically enough, News Nation will be providing viewers with weather during a timeslot when The Weather Channel no longer provides live weather outside of hurricane/severe weather coverage. When The Weather Channel ends live programming at 8pm ET, tune to News Nation to get all your weather!

 

(Yeah, I know basically everyone gets their weather online these days. I was actually surprised a few months ago when it was revealed that News Nation would have weather as a regular feature of their national newscasts. I wonder if that will last.)

Well, IDK about CBS or NBC, but Weather is just about a nightly slot on WNT. It didn't use to be back in the old days.

 

 

So, will weather be a quick slot like on WNT or will it be a continuation thing the whole 3 hours?

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It is clear that Nexstar is spending a ton of money to make this happen, and the set looks really impressive but I got to ask......does anyone really think this is going to be a success? There hasn't been anything worth watching on WGN America since they stopped carrying Cubs games. The channel mainly relies on reruns of Cops, Person of Interest, and Blue Bloods for its programming. It's a channel that is hardly watched by anyone and it usually buried deep in the channel lineup in most cable packages. Even if people were interested in watching it will they be able to find it ?

 

 

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51 minutes ago, TheGuru said:

 

I wonder how long their weather segments will be? I mean, a whole six or seven minute block would give them ample time to bounce across national weather headlines and get some regional forecasting in. Honestly, it's a good way to break up the news itself. Still, I also wonder how long it will last.

 

It will depend on how they break the 3-hours up (i.e...15 minute blocks, 30 minute blocks, etc...). There's enough weather stuff going on to justify having a meteorologist every night and my guess is that they will cover/discuss things like wildfires and other science-related stuff. Even though Rob and Aaron are 'breaking news anchors,' there's not going to be breaking news every night during 7-10P. They too will have to do/cover other things. 

 

 

9 minutes ago, atlnews2 said:

It is clear that Nexstar is spending a ton of money to make this happen, and the set looks really impressive but I got to ask......does anyone really think this is going to be a success? There hasn't been anything worth watching on WGN America since they stopped carrying Cubs games. The channel mainly relies on reruns of Cops, Person of Interest, and Blue Bloods for its programming. It's a channel that is hardly watched by anyone and it usually buried deep in the channel lineup in most cable packages. Even if people were interested in watching it will they be able to find it ?

 

 

 

These are questions best answered 3-6 months, etc.. from now. No one knows how successful this is going to be until we see things in action. It's anyone's guess at this point.

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4 minutes ago, jase said:

 

It will depend on how they break the 3-hours up (i.e...15 minute blocks, 30 minute blocks, etc...). There's enough weather stuff going on to justify having a meteorologist every night and my guess is that they will cover/discuss things like wildfires and other science-related stuff. Even though Rob and Aaron are 'breaking news anchors,' there's not going to be breaking news every night during 7-10P. They too will have to do/cover other things. 

 

 

 

These are questions best answered 3-6 months, etc.. from now. No one knows how successful this is going to be until we see things in action. It's anyone's guess at this point.

 

In a situation like a hurricane, they could have continuous coverage from Nexstar stations affected or joint shows with their own stations.

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The "Nexstar Nation" is revolting at the local level due to the promotional "real estate" they are having to devote to the new show....

https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2020/8/26/what-about-us

Not to mention how they will be thrown into force to supply content....

 

 

But on the other hand, I did see WKRG's Dana Winter live from Lake Charles, LA for Hurricane Laura coverage, complete with a "News Nation" mic flag.

I guess this means the end of the 200+ mic flags for coverage of national events?

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32 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said:

The "Nexstar Nation" is revolting at the local level due to the promotional "real estate" they are having to devote to the new show....

https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2020/8/26/what-about-us

Not to mention how they will be thrown into force to supply content....

 

 

But on the other hand, I did see WKRG's Dana Winter live from Lake Charles, LA for Hurricane Laura coverage, complete with a "News Nation" mic flag.

I guess this means the end of the 200+ mic flags for coverage of national events?

 

Perhaps? Another factor is that Lake Charles has no Nexstar station and neither does Beaumont.

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30 minutes ago, GoldenShine9 said:

 

Perhaps? Another factor is that Lake Charles has no Nexstar station and neither does Beaumont.

Lake Charles is in an unfortunate place right  now since the market is basically run by Gray and has a non-news producing CBS affiliate run by Sagamore Hill. 

They used to get full network coverage supplemented by Lafayette and Beaumont, Lafayette has KLFY while Nexstar divested KBMT to Deerfield (their first sale EVER).

 

I'll expand on this in the Hurricane thread, it could get bad should KPLC get affected.

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6 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Lake Charles is in an unfortunate place right  now since the market is basically run by Gray and has a non-news producing CBS affiliate run by Sagamore Hill. 

They used to get full network coverage supplemented by Lafayette and Beaumont, Lafayette has KLFY while Nexstar divested KBMT to Deerfield (their first sale EVER).

 

I'll expand on this in the Hurricane thread, it could get bad should KPLC get affected.

 

That was former NBC turned Fox affiliate KBTV they divested.

 

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Nexstar will sell WGN America after their disaster newscast tanks what is left of this once great superstation.

 

Spectrum listings for SoCal updated and it's going to air from 8 pm to 2 am. So it will be delayed 3 to 6 hours. Who the hell is going to watch a 6 hour delayed newscast? Tonight would be a classic example of this being a joke with riots going on in Minneapolis & Wisconsin, a hurricane in TX, LA, major league sports cancelling games and a convention...and they'll be hours behind on all these stories that have to be covered live. 

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Al Jazeera America was supposed to be a hit. It failed after two years and shuttered. I dont see the demand for this they do, and suspect it will fail. I could be wrong. 
 

The talent is very mid market too, minus the two leads. The reporters are all small time, minus the CBS guy. 

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2 hours ago, AmericanErrorist said:

Since we're remembering Bozo, His show was on in a time where WGN 9's Noon and 9PM News was aired all over the country, Complete with Lottery draws no less! Let's not forget the MDA Telethons!!!!  How many years was Bozo and WGN 9's News on allover the country?? It must have been popular, So wouldn't NN  bring back the fans of WGN 9's News? Of course it won't be WGN's Talent but News will be back on WGNA this Tues!!!

 

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