WGN America to Rebrand as NewsNation

Cable TV News WGN America  NewsNation 

 

      Nexstar Media Group's WGN America will be rebranding as News Nation, on the 6th month anniversary launch of "News Nation" also on that date , they are adding two new live hours of programming.  

  

    On  March 1st, cable network WGN America, will be full rebranding into NewsNation.  Weekdays live programming which currently runs from 8-11pmet/ 7-10pm CT will be expanding to start at 6pmet.  

  

    NewsNation Early Edition  will launch  at 6pmet , Nichole Berlie, who currently co-anchors the weekend  version of NewsNation  will be the anchor of this new hour.  

       

        The Donlon Report    current co-anchor  of the weeknight version of NewsNation , Joe Donlon will host his own hour long program weeknights 7pmet.  This program will have a  mixture of news and interviews. 

         The current News Nation program will be branded as NewsNation Prime;  Marni Hughes and Rob Nelson, who have been part of the anchoring team since launch will continue to anchor that. The program will be cut to 2 hours as , the previously announced,  Banfield program launches that evening at 10pmet. 

  

           NewsNation launched on September 1st 2020 on WGN America, Nexstar purachased WGN America along with it's parent company, Tribune, in 2019.  News Nation is viewing themselves as a news service to against the opinion filled cable news channels on American TV.   

 Currently, WGN America airs reruns of dramas and sitcoms through the day with News in the evening, it does come to wonder what happens to those on March 1st as the rebrand happens, or is Nexstar doing a piece meal approach and will wait a while to expand further? 

Press release after the jump 

The Lookback: Degrassi Jr. High

The Lookback Joshuaonline Canada 

        Previously on Joshuaonline, we looked at Degrassi's very first piece of media called "Ida Makes a Movie" which was part of  the first Degrassi series called "Kids of Degrassi Street" which I would love to do more of, I hopefully one day will.  This time, we are skipping ahead to what became a follow up series called "Degrasi Jr. High". 

       

        Degrassi Jr. High followed up "Kids of Degrassi Street" meaning it premiered and a year after the other series. Following along with the concpept of what "Degrassi" was about, it was a series that really depict childhood in a close to accurate way or at least, be accurate to relate to a child. In this series' case was to relate to middle schoolers.   

     

        This series is not a direct sequel to "Kids" even though some of the actors did move on to this series in different roles. This series was a sequel in the sense that they took place at a Degrassi school on Degrassi street.  This series premiered on CBC on January 18, 1987 and ran 3 seasons until 1989. The series made it to United States where it ran on PBS (yes, PBS)  which was a bump from being on  premium cable the predecessor series was placed.   It also ran on other channels in other countries. 

      

     The first season was 13 episodes, this series amassed a total of 43 episodes.  I'm going to talk about the very first episode, in this post, and maybe come back to this series in more depth even more in the future.  This is really to give a feel for what the series was, (and coming back means I can  talk about a very specific episode important in Degrassi history) 

      The first episode is called "Kiss me, Steph".

            The episode starts with a boy named Arthur trying to get the attention of a girl named Stephanie, who pretends she doesn't know him because they are brother and sister because reasons. They also don't live together because their parents are divorced.  (very expositional intro)  She's a grade 8 and he's a grade 7 student.  The theme song is very 80's  like too 80's for the 80's. (I'm scared) 

Hey wait! / Copyright Wild Brain 

          It's a brand new school year (wonderful!) The show's atmosphere fits more like camera is just following kids around kind of like how "Kids of Degrassi Street" felt.    While Steph goes in all confident and exuding her know how of how things are done, her brother is new at the school is going through it like a lost puppy in a mall. (what?)   Steph hears the school is doing a school election, because we are getting that plot on the very episode, and decides she should run for president. 

Markers are most used during elections than any other thing / Copyright Wild Brain

        There's a boy named Joey who fake helps Arthur find his class, instead directing him to a janitor's closet. (Arthur was naive enough to let this  happen and Joey is dumb enough to let this work) A boy finds Arthur locked in the closet and they are both trying to find the right class room.  They find her. (That was easy)  

Yes, you are here/ Copyright Wild Brain 

            The episode flies by in time apparently, because Steph has already started campaigning and making posters and other election-y election stuff.  The background music during this show is interesting, not bad, maybe that depends on taste, just slightly interesting.  There's another person running, his name is Snake. (Oooh, those who know will know, I'll say nothing otherwise)  

Rock n' Roll President / Copyright Wild Brain 

      Joey is back he's weird and maybe creepy.  So then a dumb campaign offer comes up, read the title of the episode. Steph offers free kisses for votes. (what the heck? )   Voula, her best friend, doesn't like this plan at all, because it's dumb plan. She kind of just goes along with after being convinced slightly.  She's also losing the girl vote and gathering the horny boy vote. (There's no other way to put that)  Steph thanks Joey, forgetting her own friend. (I hope Voula does something to screw this election up for Steph. ) 

I will not forget this/ Copyright Wild Brain

       Now it's election results time. (Shorter than our election)  Steph wins the election ( I thought this was going go some other direction, oh well)  Before the strange kissing stuff, Steph was really being helped by Voula in her speech making for example, and guess who's mad at her?  (George?)  She does help her brother not get stuffed in a locker by Joey.  Voula tells Steph off for how she treated her, throws the friendship bracelet back at her. 

       After school, Arthur thanks her for helping earlier and offers to help her with her speech to the PTA since Voula won't.  So, she takes the offer.  The episode just kind of ends there.. like just stops and ends there.  The show has continuity , so the next episode, Voula is still mad at her in the next episode and it seems if they are going to make up, it's going to take some time. 

        

         The idea of the show is to have some contained plots but also continuity meaning, nothing goes straight back to normal/ status quo in the next episode. This is the start of what Degrassi did as a series.  The plot of this first episode is relatable to viewers in many ways and the idea of doing anything for popularity is shown well here. I think showing the arc with Steph and her  brother, showing that she does care about him and maybe at least patched something with him, was a nice touch to show she isn't too far gone.   One day, we'll return to Degrassi and even more return turn to Degrassi Jr. High. 

      

                 

FOX News Channel revamps daytime and 7pmet Line Up

Fox News channel   TV News 

    Fox News Channel on Monday has announced big changes to their daytime  and early evening fringe line up, starting January 18th. Notably, the 7pm ET switches to an opinion-based show, and a reversal of a change made in January of 2020.  

       First off, Bill Hemmer, who replaced Shepard Smith in January 2020 in the 3pmet slot, will be moving back to the program he co-anchored from 2007-2020, "America's Newsroom" which will also return to being 2 hour long program.  Co-anchoring with  Hemmer will be Dana Perino, who currently hosts  2pmet, and is part of the early-evening show, "The Five".   This program aiirs from 9-11AMET

      Second, Harris Faulkner, who currently co-hosts the noon et program, "Outnumbered" and hosts the 1pmet program "Outnumbered: Overtime" will be moving to 11amet, with "The  Faulkner Focus", she will also still be on "Outnumbered".

       

     Third,  Current, co-anchor of "America's Newsroom" , Sandra Smith, is moving to co-anchor a new 1-3pmet program  called "America Reports" she will be joined by current Chief White House correspondent, John Roberts.   

    Martha MacCallum's program, "The Story", moves from 7pmet  to 3pmet.   

  The 4-7pmet hours stay the same.

 At 7pmet, a new opinion show "FOX News Primetime" will premiere, it will start with a rotating set of hosts until a permeant  host is announced. 

press release after the jump 

Girls Last Tour : Another Look: This time Episode 9: What is Life?

Anime  

     I think it's time to talk about "Girls Last Tour" again. I've talked about episode 5 and Episode 1, int that order, So it's episode 9 time. That makes sense.   

       One of the magical things about this show is the atmosphere and sound space as I mentioned in episode 1, this episode starts with the girls on their kattenrad and through this building. You can hear the machine riding on the metal, and the pipes are making their sounds, it's great sound building that this series does so well.  In the background of the series even without fully mentioning it, is death. This series has the background of the concept of death in it. The world is pretty much decimated, you don't see much living creatures of any sort, there's no trees, the buildings are old some are falling apart. It's called Girls' Last Tour for a reason. The line where Yuu asks "Hey, what does "alive" mean?" is main of idea of this episode.

   

          There's a giant robot thing that they don't know what it is.  Yuu questions is it a life form, and Chito answers by saying  that machines aren't alive. They end up seeing a fish, showing that his place was a fishery.  There was one fish, still alive, then a  robot talks to them. The robot says that they can't eat the fish because he's the manager of the place.  (Yuu really wants to eat the fish)

           The place was once  a fish farm, but now there's only fish left. (the one we saw earlier) The robot says that can swim in any of the non used tanks. The robot mentions that its job is to maintain everything even without people aren't around.  Chito almost drowns (woah, this is Girls' last tour not Girl's last tour, don't die)   Yuuri does save her before this show gets dark, well more dark. 

         Instead of trying to eat it, Yuu maybe wants to friends  with the fish.  The robot says that it was programmed with empathy, meaning it can connect with humans, which is why its been so accommodating to them. During their sleep, they are awoken by the giant robot who is now dismantling the spot.   The smaller robot "talks" with the bigger one for the girls and  it says it won't stop. In a turn from earlier, Yuu worries about the fish and fears for its life. 

         Yuu goes to explode the robot while, Chito wonders if it's wrong to "kill" it because it's "alive".  The idea of what life is comes through her mind as she tries to understand.  The robot is destroyed and the smaller robot says that the fish and he will live a little longer. Though, all things will die one day.   Maybe life means that something has to end.

            The episode's question is what is life? Are the robots alive, or are they just working machine's like the kattenrad.  The difference is the robots (at least the smaller one) can talk and move on their own.  After all that wondering what is alive, they decided to pick a fish over the large robot, mostly because Yuu grew more attached to it. The episode attaches the idea of mortality to it more than the others, have  done because it also ties in the girls two lives. Chito almost drowns, again death, her life was that close to ending. The one great equalizer for the robots, the girls, the fish is death.  Does  make a person think without saying what would be the right then to do. 
 
        The smaller robot mentions that death will come to all at some point.  I think this episodes shows more how this wonderful series can make a person enjoy what's going on and think about what the situation. The music and the sound effects were great through  and really added to the composition of the show.  This another stand out episode in a stand out anime.


   That's it for now: tune in next time when don't eat that fish.



         
         

       

Christmas: For Better or For Worse: The Bestest Present

Christmas 

                  I have done three "For Better or For Worse" specials. They are based of the comic strip by the same name.  Those specials are part of six that ran the 1990's they even a Christmas special I've written about. But there is another, we are going to be looking at a special from 1985  called "For Better or For Worse: The Bestest Present" another Christmas themed special, this would be the first and the first animated appearance of the comic strip characters.   The special ran on CTV in Canada and on HBO/ Disney Channel in the parts of the US that didn't get Canadian  TV. 

 

         The thing about this comic strip was that it followed time in more real time meaning the characters would age, compared to other strips where characters stay static in time and age. So this special being from the 80's would be different from the special from the 90's . This also means April wasn't born yet, so the only kids in the Patterson Family were Michael and Elizabeth.  They would also be slightly younger than the 90's specials, fitting with the age and looks during the 80's comic strips. 

            Michael comes home from school, it's raining, anyway the family minus Dad are going out to eat.  Because For Better or for Worse plays things in a more realistic way  this special follows some more realistic things. It does have some comedic moments.   

Don't fight for the front seat around me

          Michael and Elizabeth look at the toy department of the store . I like how it simple it is depicting Christmas at a department store, there's  a little touch you really can't see anymore due to this modern age. Also Elizabeth's bunny is missing, we saw it fall on the floor at the store. Her father actually dedicates his time to go back to the store to find the bunny.  (That's dedication and love) He misses the bunny by walking right past it because a security guard frowned at him. 

    

It' Right there look down! Look down! Please look down! 

         It was a special bunny because it was made by her grandmother.  John, the father, tells his daughter the sad news about the bunny. (With a song!)   There's a janitor at the store who seems annoyed about the aspects of the commercialism of Christmas. He's found the bunny, and somehow figures out it was made by a grandma.(I didn't know that was a thing to tell) He talks to the rabbit and knows that someone misses it. 

           

           Michael suggests they put an ad in the newspaper for the bunny, his mother doesn't think it will work, but she'll do it anyway. It's sweet to see him care for his little sister that way, this special is being too sweet.  Anyway , another song because it snowed !   Janitor guy sees the ad in the newspaper, and thinks the kids who put the ad are spoiled because reasons. 

  

Abandoning  a bunny is crime here in Canada 

         It's Christmas Day, I think the dog may have given away a hint before. The brown paper package in mail the day before that came, had the bunny inside. Liz is happy.  With some phone calls they figure out it was the grumpy janitor named Walter.  We see that Walter is alone on Christmas day when John calls him to thank him.  The family decides to invite him over for Christmas dinner, it such a sweet ending.  Walter decides against the big reward, he's happy enough to be invited. 

She got her bunny back! 

              The big thing I really like from "For Better or For Worse" specials is the atmosphere. It's not over the top, it's understated but feels nice. The Christmas at the store felt like Christmas at a store, at least a more classic style department store, it's nostalgic in a way , but that's because this special came out years and years ago.  The pacing is slow but it's not overly boring slow, it's fitting a natural pace of time and makes this special comfy.  The plot was simple but I like it, and it ends well. 

Happy ending for all 

     It's a nice alternative to louder Christmas specials and it's really something enjoyable.  

 That' s it for now tune in next time as we look down better. 

Christmas: A (Ocean Spray) Cranberry Christmas

Christmas 

     I was shifting through my DVD-R's and found one that was filled with recordings from November to December 2008. It had random stuff filling it's six hours, but one thing that popped out to me was a recording from ABC Family in December a special called "A Cranberry Christmas" .  This special I vaguely remember it's like a special that exists then disappears so it's forgotten.

    The special is based off a 1976 book of the same time. This special is more than though. You see, Ocean Spray, the company known for cranberries decided to make this into a special. For some reason. Like, they never  made one before or since. They even roped in getting Barry Manilow because Barry Manilow. I wonder how that meeting went. It was presented by Ocean Spray on ABC Family meaning everyone else some how passed up this glorious special and they went to basic cable instead. It was commercial free because Ocean Spray. 

            Even the recording has an introduction by the then Ocean Spray ad campaign of two guys. They tried to make it look like a picture book but Ocean Spray didn't splash out their cash.  They have a narrator who is also Barry Manilow. (Hey Barry, while you are here doing the songs, could you also narrate, k thanks)  The animation isn't something to write about, 1960's Hanna and Barbera would think it's too stiff.  

  

         The first song is Barry Manilow signing that Christmas is just around the corner. (It's waiting around for you to come by and take your cash)   We meet the two main characters named Maggie, a little girl, I think and her Grandma named Grandma.   There's an old man named Mr. Grape who says he owns a pond.  Then another guy, with a beard, named Mr. Whiskers. (Really!) says no that' s his bog not a pond. I hope you like them going back and forth between saying cranberry pond and cranberry bog.   Maybe they could  pop open  a bottle of Ocean Spray 100% Cranberry Mango juice and talk it over. 

I'm a Jets fan you idiot, the Patriots suck!/ Copyright Ocean Spray (I think)

            Whiskers says that his father grew cranberries there and so did his grandfather and people before him. How else you do you think we get delicious Ocean Spray 100% cranberry pomegranate juice?  (yes)  Grandma goes out stops the men from fighting, and they apparently, are scared of her power.

I said dance/ Copyright Ocean Spray 

          She offers them cranberry cookies. (Made with real Ocean Spray  Crasins(R) )  Grape hates cookies. Grandma tells the two men to search for the deed to prove it's their property.  Could have thought of that earlier, but they might be idiots.  (Just like you would be if you don't buy Ocean Spray's fresh black berries that's right they sale other fruits!)  Whiskers' house is a mess and Mr. Grape figures out he might not have rights to the pond. (bog) He just wants peace in winter, but children like to skate on the bog (pond) and annoy him.  He could just move but alright. (He should really try Ocean Spray Cranberry sauce, it's good for any occasion and calms you down with it's soothing jiggle) 

Santa doesn't look so good/ Copyright Ocean Spray

            Cyrus Grape gets the smart idea , by smart I mean stupid,  to make sure that Whiskers doesn't find the deed. Whiskers is already having a hard time himself because his house is a mess anyway. (He really should take an Ocean Spray Cranberry + Health supplement to clear his mind and clean up)  Magge comes over to Mr. Whiskers' house to check on him. (He might have died from not drinking Ocean Spray 100% Grapefruit juice)  Maggie an envelope from Mr.Whiskers' sister who lives in the city, she is coming over on Christmas Eve (she has no concern over her brother might be busy or something, and eating his Ocean Spray Crasins (R) with Blue Berries)  

       He also needs to check his mail more anyway his sister says she will somehow make him live with her in the City. (what?)  No sure how she can do that, they are both adults, he could say no, kick her off his property and have her arrested if she doesn't leave. (Then drink a fresh glass of Ocean Spray Cran-Engregy drink) Thanks to Grape being creepy, he can over hear everything and try to mess up things. (Arrest him too and take away his Ocean Spray sparkling Cran-Raspberry juice)  

      Grandma thinks it makes sense that an adult woman can take an adult man and force him to the city.(she's not been the same since that reindeer ran her over)  Now Cyrus Grape does more creepy things by standing outside Maggie and Grandma's house. He also breaks an entry and messes up Whiskers' house. They also have Barry Manilow sing a knock off "You're a Mean one, Mr. Grinch". Really though, do arrest this man. (and make sure he can never have Cranberry spicy enchiladas  again ) 

Dear Brother, I have no name so I don't remember yours so /Copyright Ocean Spray

       more after the jump

Christmas: Big City Greens: Green Christmas

Christmas Disney 

        We haven't done a "Big City Greens" post since the first episode  , and the show has since been on for two seasons and a well-rated Disney Channel animated series. We are looking at a season 2 episode because the Christmas episode "Green Christmas" is a season 2 episode. This episode aired in 2019. 

       

        The special starts with Cricket, the Green family male child, being happy that Christmas is coming.   I like how they do this musical style but characters noticing the singing. (Also that one Peanuts homage everyone does)  The first song leads to the title of the series intro, that was impressive. Nancy, the kid's mother, being confused what was going on, was nice touch. 

      

       Cricket finds out that he might be on the naughty list, showing clips from the show's  past episodes,  Tilly says if he tries to enough good deeds then it might work out.  Bill loves Christmas, especially spending time with his family, which one of his character traits, and says he got Alice, his mother, and Nancy, his ex-wife, Christmas gifts; they weren't expecting that and realize that they got Bill nothing. 

We should have gotten him a tie/ Copyright Disney 

         Cricket goes out an does "good deeds" in song to try and get on Santa's good list.  There's also this Big City (creative name for a city) Christmas tree that has a star, this is important to the plot. (It is?) Cricket decides instead to hurry the process and just convince a mall Santa for gifts.  This goes as good as cat in a crystal glass shop.  The mall Santa tells him he's definitely on the naughty list. 

I'm important to the plot, how about you?/ Copyright Disney

More after the jump 

Christmas: Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

Christmas The Simpsons 

           The first episode of the Simpsons produced was  the last aired episode of what became the show's first season, the first aired episode happened to be the Christmas episode. It aried on December 17, 1989.  

  "The Simpsons" was created to go against the grain of what other shows with families were doing at the time period , also a good pairing for Fox's other series "Married with Children"  

       The Christmas special also presents itself something different than standard Christmas television fare, especially at the time.  With this being the first introduced episode this is an introduction to the Simpson family and characters incase you didn't see their shorts on the "Tracey Ullman Show" 

          It starts with a Christmas presentation at the school with kids presenting a pageant. Lisa Simpson does a Christmas dance and Bart gets in trouble for singing different lyrics to "Jingle Bells"  (The Batman Smells version)  Already showing a glimpse of their characters' personalities.   Marge writing a letter gives the viewers more information. 

        

           The main core of the special is to show the Simpsons as a not completely well to do family, the family having Christmas money  saved in a jar and hoping Homer gets his Christmas bonus to provide a nice Christmas.  Bart wants a Tattoo, and using Homer's line of  get one if you use your own money you can get one, he decides to get one.  

     

             These parts intersect when  the president of the company, Mr. Burns, announces their will be no Christmas bonuses; at least there's the jar, but Marge finds out that Bart got the tattoo and she has to use the jar of money to get the tattoo removed.  She's glad for Homer's bonus. It sets a great conflict for the story. Homer is put into a position of  worry.  

      

         He doesn't want to disappoint his family on Christmas and doesn't tell them that he didn't get his bonus. One of the quiet shots I like is when Homer walks out of his house and stands in front of it, the shot of the neighbor's house having the fancy decorations contrasting the Simpson house with the shoddy lights. It says so much without words giving a great impact to the special and shows what will drive Homer for the plot. 

           He doesn't want to tell  Marge about the bonus so tells her he wants to to do the Christmas shopping that year. He goes to a discount store and buys some very low cost gifts.  He bumps into Flanders again, showing the contrast once again. Homer  goes to the the bar to drink his troubles and hears about an idea of  being a Santa Claus and decides to do that for some extra cash.

       He doesn't tell his family about this either. Patty and Selma, Marge's sisters, are also very characterized in this special  where you can really tell that they don't like Homer at all.  Bart goes to the  mall with his friends and notices the Santa Claus (Homer) and his friends challenge him to pull the beard off this is when Bart finds out the truth.     

    

           Homer finds out he only gets $13.00, until he gets an idea from Barney to gamble on a dog track to makes more money.  Bart even mentions that other Christmas specials and stories as a way of hope.  I also like how Lisa corrects her Aunts on their opinions and it's well done where you learn about Lisa's intellect and that she was defending her father from being attacked. 

         Homer decides to gamble on a dog named Santa's Little Helper.  Because Santa, Christmas luck, duh.  The Simpsons decides to be subversive and not let this be a Christmas miracle and they lose money.  Bart even mentions that TV failed him.  The owner of the dog who lost tells his dog to go away and ends up with Homer and Bart. 

        

         The ending is great as Bart shows everyone the dog; the family is happy to see their new pet. It's  a great special and a great start to the Simpsons.  It's a Christmas special with it's own heart and a realism that Early Simpsons really went with well. By itself even, it's a wonderful special.  It has the roughness that Early Simpsons had but yet like "A Charlie Brown Christmas "it helps its charm.  A wonderfully well done Christmas story, yet going for the idea of  not an instant miracle but working out in a way where like Marge says the dog was  great gift because it's a way to share their love.  Homer does what he does in the episode in the drive to hope that his family has just as good of a Christmas has the neighbors ( I can't believe I didn't say Flanders at all)  the charm and heart is there 

        That's it for now tune in next time, when we work as Santa to find a racing dog.