Silke Jasso
Frequent viewers of WGN News have begun speculating that changes in content and graphics may be the result of a change in ownership, according to a forum posted on reddit.
The forum began when a user created a new thread commenting on the content shared by WGN that morning and noting a change in graphic designs. The thread was titled, “Did anyone else notice a huge change in WGN morning News.”
“If you’re a fan of their morning show, you undoubtedly noticed a change this morning in the content, studio and the graphical overlays,” user madtv_fan posted. “It looks like Fox News now. Is this because of the ownership change?”
This sparked discussion as several viewers commented their opinion on this idea. According to the Chicago Tribune however, this is more than speculation as a May 8 article told readers that Sinclair Broadcast Group agreed to purchase Tribune Media, effectively ending their local ownership of WGN.
“The Sinclair-Tribune deal was facilitated by an easing of TV station ownership restrictions under President Donald Trump and new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,” the Tribune article reads.
To answer some questions on the reddit thread, Sinclair has been known for its politically conservative agenda, according to the Tribune. This may be why some viewers are likening WGN’s new look and news delivery to that of Fox which is also known to be conservatively leaning.
The Sinclair deal is not expected to close until the fourth quarter, but it is speculated that these changes are in preparation for that deal. The changes have been taking place for a while, but have only recently been implemented.
