Overview
WGN America carries a variety of programming consisting mainly of recent and classic off-network sitcoms, drama series and feature films, along with some locally-produced programming supplied by WGN-TV/Chicago (including televised games from Chicago's Major League Baseball and NBA sports teams, local newscasts, public affairs programs and occasional specials).
The channel broadcasts its national programming across the United States and parts of Canada without certain local programs and many syndicated programs carried on the Chicago broadcast signal, which due to syndication exclusivity rights held for most syndicated programming seen on WGN-TV and rights restrictions for sports telecasts imposed by the NBA and the National Hockey League, are substituted with other programs. The most notable programming difference between the national feed and the Chicago area broadcast signal is that even though WGN-TV is a charter affiliate for the Chicago market, WGN America does not carry any programming from The CW Television Network, as it is available throughout the United States via over-the-air broadcast stations, digital subchannel-only affiliates and local cable outlets.
The channel broadcasts on an Eastern Time schedule (with programs shown at earlier or later times depending on location), therefore being a superstation feed, WGN America does not timeshift for other U.S. time zones in order to allow it to schedule its other entertainment programming around simulcasts of local programs and sports telecasts produced by WGN-TV that are cleared for broadcast on the channel. As such, promos for WGN America programs reference airtimes for both the Eastern and Pacific time zones (for example, America's Funniest Home Videos is promoted as airing at "7 p.m. East/4 p.m. West", a scheduling reference format it has used in promos since 2008, used instead of referring to both zones as "Eastern" and "Pacific").
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