Superstation WGN Now WGN America

[leo250]

Trying to find information on when the satellite feed of WGN HD might happen, I came across a name change. Superstation WGN is now called WGN America (the website is also wgnamerica.com.) I am glad to see the satellite feed is now more accurately named. According to what I read, it still appears that WGN America will be coming to E* and DTV "soon". It's nice to have company, but will be happy when "soon" happens.

 

[Peter Parker]

Eventually maybe people will stop calling TBS and WGN superstations but I suspect that it will take a long time.

 

[JohnL]

Trying to find information on when the satellite feed of WGN HD might happen, I came across a name change. Superstation WGN is now called WGN America (the website is also wgnamerica.com.) I am glad to see the satellite feed is now more accurately named. According to what I read, it still appears that WGN America will be coming to E* and DTV "soon". It's nice to have company, but will be happy when "soon" happens.

Leo,

IF WGN America is just a renaming of Superstation WGN then both DirecTV and Dish Network already carry the SD version. The HD version is likely to be on Dish Network before DirecTV. I'd love to see the name change, since by definition WGN is NO LONGER a true Superstation.

DirecTV currently is maxed out of bandwidth for ANY more HD additions. Dish currently has the ability to add roughly 20 HD channels. With that said WGN's HD feed is being uplinked by Dish Network right now, it just isn't available to subscribers.

John

 

[jansan]

The name change was necessary. I hope that Dish doesn't mess with the name on 239. People would be calling about WGNA. Besides when we get HD feed "soon", WGNHD name looks like a perfect fit.

 

[leo250]

IF WGN America is just a renaming of Superstation WGN then both DirecTV and Dish Network already carry the SD version. The HD version is likely to be on Dish Network before DirecTV. I'd love to see the name change, since by definition WGN is NO LONGER a true Superstation.

DirecTV currently is maxed out of bandwidth for ANY more HD additions. Dish currently has the ability to add roughly 20 HD channels. With that said WGN's HD feed is being uplinked by Dish Network right now, it just isn't available to subscribers.

John[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the information! I am hoping "soon" happens this week or next, we are missing opportunities to see the NL Central leading Cubs in HD!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Remember after February 17th 2009 there are no such thing any longer as "Superstations"

I expect to see WGN America on Dish Network within a month.

 

[billymac]

I expect to see WGN America on Dish Network within a month.

Do you mean WGN America HD?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yes HD.

 

[Peter Parker]

Remember after February 17th 2009 there are no such thing any longer as "Superstations"

I expect to see WGN America on Dish Network within a month.

I would not be so sure of that. The statutory authority for superstations ends in DECEMBER 2009 not February. I often see that argument linked to the fact that the designations in SHVERA for the superstations ends in -TV not-DT. But any provider that carries the superstations files a form with the copyright office every six months listing the number of viewers subbing to analog and digital versions of the superstations. If there are no digital superstations that seems odd. Also SHVERA itself itself explicitly discusses DIGITAL Superstations and empowers the US Copyright office to perform a study dealing with them. Again that is odd if ther are no digital superstations to study.

in any event WGN ceased to be a superstation when it stopped broadcasting the same schedule as the OTA station. So the whole argument is irrelevant.

But this is just one mor e example of people rushing to kill off the superstations. we had threads that said they would go away when the WB and UPN were formed, that at least some would go away whn the WB added a certain number of hours of programs and when the CW was formed. There were also several other events that led to statements like this before. The superstations survived all of those predicted deaths and may well survive this latest round of predictions as well.

 

[Peter Parker]

The name change was necessary. I hope that Dish doesn't mess with the name on 239. People would be calling about WGNA. Besides when we get HD feed "soon", WGNHD name looks like a perfect fit.

I don't know this but they may move it out of that range altogether since it was originally placed with the other superstations. the old WTBS was nearby but it was eventually moved. But I want to make it clear that I do not know this. My conversations with DISH have focused on the issue of whether the superstations I have never discussed channel numbers for the current or former superstations.will continue

 

[wkomorow]

According to the sitcoms online blog, WGN is relaunching with a new format. Hinted at here:

SitcomsOnline.com News Blog: WGN Brings Back '70s Classics for Retro TV Week, Includes Kotter, WKRP, Taxi; NBC Fall Premiere Dates

and discussed here:

Changes coming to Superstation WGN? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

 

[Peter Parker]

According to the sitcoms online blog, WGN is relaunching with a new format. Hinted at here:

SitcomsOnline.com News Blog: WGN Brings Back '70s Classics for Retro TV Week, Includes Kotter, WKRP, Taxi; NBC Fall Premiere Dates

and discussed here:

Changes coming to Superstation WGN? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

I like some of those shows but most of them are old video not film and i question that we will see much real HD on such a channel. But hey i am always up for an epsode of Barney Miller.

 

[Rey]

IS there any chance that the other superstations will go HD?

 

[Peter Parker]

IS there any chance that the other superstations will go HD?

If you believe Scott's interpreation no. IF you think that tney will survive yes. in fact most of them are broadcasting in HD now. The one exception might be WSBK that might not have a whole lot in HD. Any Boston area members know how much HD they broadcast?

If you look at SHVERA it does extend the authority to broadast the supers beyond Feb 2009 but not by all that much. Not sure if either provider would want to go there and it might lead to more syndex claims form CW or MNT stations.

 

[Darrell S]

Have you seen the WGN America ID bug? Those eyes get creepy after awhile.

 

[wkomorow]

I like some of those shows but most of them are old video not film and i question that we will see much real HD on such a channel. But hey i am always up for an epsode of Barney Miller.

Jack Soo in the Hash episode is hilarious.

 

[Peter Parker]

I have to say that I ahve received PMs that some insist that they have discussed this with DISh and gota very different answer than i did. They report being told that authority expires when the anlaogs go away. but that DISH is working on a deal or deals to extend that.

This seems odd to me in light of what I was told and I also don't understand how a deal could change anything if statutory authority is the issue. But it is certainly fair to say that there is some controversy over this. And with that I will shut up and wait until february tosee what happens.

 

[jansan]

Have you seen the WGN America ID bug? Those eyes get creepy after awhile.

It's creepy to me.

 

[M Sparks]

Have you seen the WGN America ID bug? Those eyes get creepy after awhile.

Weird. What's the point of that?

It looks more like a bug for a Hot Topic channel.

 

[M Sparks]

Jack Soo in the Hash episode is hilarious.

Whadaya say we go down to the beach and shoot some clams?