WGN America Pivots in Primetime to NewsNation

When this multimilliondollaramp160venture turns on viewers will see news coverageamp160that harnessesamp160a team of 150plus journalists and production staff working from Chicago alongamp160with some 5400 correspondents across the country based at Nexstaramp8217s 196amp160broadcast stationsamp160and 110 newsrooms amp8212 which currently produceamp160over 259000 hours of news programming a yearamp160 At the same time NewsNation will exist 247 as a programming service through its NewsNationNowcom website and dedicatedamp160mobileamp160appamp160with a goal of launching TVconnected devices down the roadNewsNation is by far the most ambitious original effort yet for WGN America amp160Under previous owner Tribune Mediaamp160acquired by Nexstar last September the network experimented with original scripted series in 2013 resulting inamp160Underground Manhattan Outsidersamp160and other acclaimed Americanathemed dramasamp160 Four years later the original focus shifted to crimemystery hours acquired from Canadian and overseas producers such asamp160Carter Goneamp160andamp160Pureamp160WGN Americaamp8217s ad sales drive for NewsNation is underway with sponsors able to support the format in several ways national commercial minutes segment sponsorships and multiplatform deals amp8220The reception in the marketplace has been greatamp8221 says Dave Rotem the channelamp8217s executive vice president of sales and marketing amp160amp8220The many clients and agencies weamp8217ve met with think our model is a game changer because it39s uniqueamp160and exclusive amp160It canamp8217t be replicatedamp160 No one has the infrastructure of the No 1 local news station group that combined with WGN America reaches 100 million homes and 210 DMAsamp8221 amp160Rotem also points out that NewsNation will have the same journalistic integrity and credibility as Nexstar39s awardwinningamp160localamp160stationsamp8220Advertisers know that the value of live programming from a ratings standpointamp160is much stronger than running offnetwork sitcoms or hourlong dramasamp8221amp160Rotemamp160adds amp160amp8220Viewers watching news are more engaged and more likely to make purchasing decisionsamp8221amp160For Sean Compton WGN Americaamp8217s executive vice president NewsNation represents the ability to deliver a clear alternative to the allnews channel marketplace while opening up a nightly newsinformation windowamp160for TV networks aimed at a wide audience amp160amp8220What we see is an opportunity to be truly right down the middle serving Americaamp8221 he explains amp160amp8220Weamp8217re lookingamp160to reach people who donamp8217t want the talking heads on theamp160allnewsamp160networks amp160Theyamp8217re lookingamp160for straight news to be informed every night amp160We want to cover stories more from the heartland instead of just from theamp160DC beltwayamp160or New York Cityamp8221Rotem points out that there is a large underserved news audience that just wants the factsamp160 amp8220They are politically agnosticamp8221 he saysamp160 amp8220They donamp8217t want bias amp160Theyamp8217ll make up their own minds amp160We have the opinionated cable news networks like MSNBC and CNN that address the left side of the spectrum and Fox News represents the right side of the spectrum amp160Our positioning is in between where there is a void of unbiased news programming in primetimeamp8221amp160NewsNation can tap that audience base with the resources that Nexstaramp8217samp160local TVamp160station universe provides amp160Whatamp8217s more Comptonamp160notes the landscape to introduce a service with those resources couldnamp8217t be better given the recent big jump in overall TV and allnews network viewingamp160due to theamp160Coronavirusamp160COVID19amp160outbreak amp160amp8220Theyamp8217re soaring now because viewers turn to local news during times of crisis and uncertainty for reliable trusted informationamp8221 he explains amp160amp8220Nexstar has every corner of the country covered and everything inbetweenamp8221With Nexstar reporters availableamp160nationwide NewsNation will spend as much time on coverage from the field as possible amp160Breaking news coverage will be a priority but the newscastamp160will also tackle a developing story issueamp160or trend in one locationamp160andamp160then explore how that situation is playing out elsewhere amp160Recurring segments will focus on businessfinance trends weather the entertainment scene health matters technologyamp160and other subjectsRotemamp160compares the programming format to NFL RedZoneamp160NFL Networkamp8217s fallamp160specialtyamp160channel that takes viewers from one crucial live moment in a pro football game to anotheramp160onamp160Sunday afternoons amp160amp8220Weamp8217re going to do that with local news that has national implications and relevanceamp8221 heamp160says amp160amp8220When the Kobeamp160Bryant helicopter crash happened KTLA the Nexstar station in Los Angeles was on it immediately and provided footage to all the networksamp160 That story became a national story amp160Thatamp8217s an example of how this format is set upamp8221Work on NewsNationamp8217s Chicago studio and staff is on track Comptonamp160says amp160The anchor people are on board with announcements on that group and the exact launch date forthcomingamp160 Thereamp8217s a possibility that theamp160website and mobile app will launch a week or two beforehandamp160NewsNation on WGN America will be precededamp160early evenings by replays ofamp160Last Man Standingamp160Sundaysamp160through Fridays andamp160Blue Bloodsamp160on SaturdaysPhoto credit Max Bender Unsplashamp160Click the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views ofamp160MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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WGN America Pivots in Primetime to NewsNation

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Simon Applebaum

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