WBNX Fall 2022

[vjm]

As they usually do this time of year, WBNX TV 55 has released their fall schedule.

On weekdays there will be a few tweaks, as coming in will be The Neighborhood (CBS sitcom starring Cedric the Entertainer debuting in syndication), Chicago PD (returning to syndication, and matched up with Chicago Fire which debuted last year), Jennifer Hudson's new talk show, the new Pictionary game show hosted by Jerry O'Connell, and the new true crime oriented show iCrime hosted by Elizabeth Vargas.

Leaving weekdays is Mike and Molly (leaving syndication, but seen a hundred times a day on cable), Dateline (ditto), Friends (won't be on weekdays, but 55 will carpet bomb weekends with it), canceled talk shows The Doctors and Nick Cannon, as well as a couple of low end court shows.

Speaking of weekends, WBNX will have all kinds of new syndicated stuff coming in, such as Magnum PI (the reboot currently on CBS - not the classic 80s version with Tom Selleck), 9-1-1, The Rookie, and The Good Doctor. And in a sign of the times, a new show called Ring Nation will also debut, which will be a viral video show featuring footage captured by Ring doorbell cameras

Here's the whole thing to see for yourselves

 

[skiwest]

But still two hours of Family Feud every weeknight. Ugh.

 

[Northcoast43]

About the best thing the CW ever did was break its ties with WBNX.

It's comforting to know that we have at least one, over the air Independent in the Cleveland area. As WUAB and its garbage schedule and news hyperbole hasn't cut it since the "Play's Favorites" days.

Random: Anyone remember when WOIO used to brand as "Your Summer Vacation Station", and they really were. (Despite the fact that I was in the workforce by then.) The schedule/movies aired, truly gave a feeling of something worth watching during those months. IIRC - "Animal House" was a staple with them (usually for their 'airdate anniversary') for years. Probably until Fox took over seven weeknights and they didn't have a primetime slot to put it in.

 

[vjm]

But still two hours of Family Feud every weeknight. Ugh.

Feud - once the Steve Harvey era began - has been battling Wheel and Jeopardy as the top game show in syndication.

Add in Harvey's Cleveland ties, and it's natural to see 55's affinity for it.

 

[vjm]

About the best thing the CW ever did was break its ties with WBNX.

It's comforting to know that we have at least one, over the air Independent in the Cleveland area. As WUAB and its garbage schedule and news hyperbole hasn't cut it since the "Play's Favorites" days.

Random: Anyone remember when WOIO used to brand as "Your Summer Vacation Station", and they really were. (Despite the fact that I was in the workforce by then.) The schedule/movies aired, truly gave a feeling of something worth watching during those months. IIRC - "Animal House" was a staple with them (usually for their 'airdate anniversary') for years. Probably until Fox took over seven weeknights and they didn't have a primetime slot to put it in.

In the early days, 19 was always more willing to take more risks and shake things up, while channel 43 stayed the course, which is a main reason why Fox went there.

43 thought it would flop, so they stuck to their tried and true formula, 19 rolled the dice, snatched it up, and the rest is history,

WBNX is actually now a bit of a throwback to the days of the classic independent station, without any network or news department to have to work around.

What will really be interesting is to see what WJW Fox 8 does, as the bulk of it's non-news daytime schedule, such as The Good Dish (the stopgap replacement for Doctor - perhaps soon to be Senator - Oz). The Real, and Daily Mail TV have all been cancelled (Judge Judy was cancelled last year, but will air "best of" shows forever.)

They wouldn't dare add more news...would they?

 

[MediaLover]

WJW is supposed to air a new conflict talk show from Karamo Brown come fall.

 

[MediaLover]

About the best thing the CW ever did was break its ties with WBNX.

It's comforting to know that we have at least one, over the air Independent in the Cleveland area. As WUAB and its garbage schedule and news hyperbole hasn't cut it since the "Play's Favorites" days.

Random: Anyone remember when WOIO used to brand as "Your Summer Vacation Station", and they really were. (Despite the fact that I was in the workforce by then.) The schedule/movies aired, truly gave a feeling of something worth watching during those months. IIRC - "Animal House" was a staple with them (usually for their 'airdate anniversary') for years. Probably until Fox took over seven weeknights and they didn't have a primetime slot to put it in.

I remember the Summer Vacation slogan on WOIO. That ended right before the switch to CBS.

WBNX really benefited from that switch in 1994

 

[Northcoast43]

In the early days, 19 was always more willing to take more risks and shake things up, while channel 43 stayed the course, which is a main reason why Fox went there.

43 thought it would flop, so they stuck to their tried and true formula, 19 rolled the dice, snatched it up, and the rest is history,

WBNX is actually now a bit of a throwback to the days of the classic independent station, without any network or news department to have to work around.

What will really be interesting is to see what WJW Fox 8 does, as the bulk of it's non-news daytime schedule, such as The Good Dish (the stopgap replacement for Doctor - perhaps soon to be Senator - Oz). The Real, and Daily Mail TV have all been cancelled (Judge Judy was cancelled last year, but will air "best of" shows forever.)

They wouldn't dare add more news...would they?

WUAB was one of the few powerhouse UHF's that stayed true to their independent formula. Something to do with Gaylord, not wanting to mess up the stations formula around the Great Lakes area (Cable was still in its infancy and WUAB was carried much further South, East and West than most of us thought.)

With Fox debuting in October of 1986, I don't know if WUAB even had plans for news (Debuted: January 1988, so I'd say yes)...Which would have benefited it more as a Fox affiliate...But little did we know what potential Fox had.

PLEASE -- No more news on WJW. The 1 am (and sometimes 3 or 4 am) rerun of the 10 O'Clock is bad enough. Last I checked WJW starts its "10 P.M. News" promptly at 10:02, which usually has me switching away anyways.

 

[vjm]

I remember the Summer Vacation slogan on WOIO. That ended right before the switch to CBS.

WBNX really benefited from that switch in 1994

When WJW took Fox, they loaded up on news turned down Fox Kids, WOIO obviously had to divest a lot of syndicated stuff to accommodate CBS, sister station WUAB could only absorb so much of it, and the rest (and Fox Kids) had to go somewhere.

This made WBNX relevant, and gave them enough gravitas to become a WB, and later CW affiliate.

Can you believe it's been close to 30 years since all that first went down?

 

[Northcoast43]

I remember the Summer Vacation slogan on WOIO. That ended right before the switch to CBS.

WBNX really benefited from that switch in 1994

WCLQ's sale to Home Shopping AND WOIO becoming CBS both really boosted WBNX's appearance on TV. I remember when it first signed on, it didn't think it'd have enough programming to show...Nor would the "Akron" location help it.

In my old age (Okay, not that old)...I really miss WAKR and WJ(K)W when they were ABC and CBS affiliates respectively. WOIO just doesn't (IMO) measure up to what CBS used to be. I don't know if other cities CBS channels are the "some ole" either though. For one, very "stoic" and straight forward Newscasts.

 

[vjm]

WUAB was one of the few powerhouse UHF's that stayed true to their independent formula. Something to do with Gaylord, not wanting to mess up the stations formula around the Great Lakes area (Cable was still in its infancy and WUAB was carried much further South, East and West than most of us thought.)

With Fox debuting in October of 1986, I don't know if WUAB even had plans for news (Debuted: January 1988, so I'd say yes)...Which would have benefited it more as a Fox affiliate...But little did we know what potential Fox had.

PLEASE -- No more news on WJW. The 1 am (and sometimes 3 or 4 am) rerun of the 10 O'Clock is bad enough. Last I checked WJW starts its "10 P.M. News" promptly at 10:02, which usually has me switching away anyways.

Channel 43 was on cable back in the day in Toledo, Columbus, Erie PA, The Tri-State area (OH/WV/KY), and even in Ontario, Canada.

Gaylord basically saw WUAB as a mini "superstation" for the region, and didn't want to rock the boat.

 

[vjm]

WJW is supposed to air a new conflict talk show from Karamo Brown come fall.

That show sounds like something out of the Jerry Springer/Maury Povich/Steve Wilkos ilk (being that's it's from NBC - who produces said troika)

Kind of something out of modern day WJW's usual wheelhouse.

 

[skiwest]

Channel 43 was on cable back in the day in Toledo, Columbus, Erie PA, The Tri-State area (OH/WV/KY), and even in Ontario, Canada.

Gaylord basically saw WUAB as a mini "superstation" for the region, and didn't want to rock the boat.

WUAB was the TV home of the Indians and the Cavs back then, so a good reason to be a mini "superstation".

 

[skiwest]

PLEASE -- No more news on WJW. The 1 am (and sometimes 3 or 4 am) rerun of the 10 O'Clock is bad enough. Last I checked WJW starts its "10 P.M. News" promptly at 10:02, which usually has me switching away anyways.

Agreed! There is way too much news on WJW. Their newscasts are loaded with so much fluff, plus weather segments every 5 minutes. Good grief. It would be nice if Fox had a some kind of late night programing. WJW used to air movies overnight at one time. Perhaps they could do that again.

 

[skiwest]

Feud - once the Steve Harvey era began - has been battling Wheel and Jeopardy as the top game show in syndication.

Add in Harvey's Cleveland ties, and it's natural to see 55's affinity for it.

I get it, but 2 hours of Feud within a 3 hour period seems excessive.

 

[Northcoast43]

WUAB was the TV home of the Indians and the Cavs back then, so a good reason to be a mini "superstation".

...and Force, and they'd pickup the "Mizlou", "MSG" and whatever other syndicated College Bowl/Football and College Basketball telecasts they could show.

Also, their local personalities were seasoned here and worked well within the Midwest footprint. "The Prize Movie"/John Lanigan, "Superhost", "Barnaby", Gary Short, and Alice Weston to name a few. The latter was on a little known Talk Show (43 A.M.) that made for a good companion to WEWS's "Morning Exchange".

Sadly, they kind of slacked on syndicated programming (Using the "tried and true" lineup for years...and I think that ultimately hurt them.)

 

[Northcoast43]

Agreed! There is way too much news on WJW. Their newscasts are loaded with so much fluff, plus weather segments every 5 minutes. Good grief. It would be nice if Fox had a some kind of late night programing. WJW used to air movies overnight at one time. Perhaps they could do that again.

Movies, and some better syndicated older shows.

Apparently, they don't think their newscasts are fluff but during some hours...They are the only local broadcasting. Way too many teasers, "We'll tell you the rest of the story later", or 55 minutes of "Coming up" -- Only to give a 30 second fact about something awkward that happened two time zones away.

 

[MediaLover]

I would love to see WBNX pick up sitcom reruns neglected by the other stations to give them more support. That would make the station even better.

 

[MediaLover]

It looks like reruns of Bull and Wipeout are leaving the WBNX lineup as well.

 

[Northcoast43]

I would love to see WBNX pick up sitcom reruns neglected by the other stations to give them more support. That would make the station even better.

Depending how far we go back.

With the digital sub-channels all over, this becomes more difficult. I miss the era when local stations pile drove something down us at the same times yearly. (For years WUAB had a "M*A*S*H"/"Hogan's Heroes" fix going during the 7 to 8 pm hours)

...I could stand a nice weeknights @ : "Benny Hill Show" at 11:30 p.m. or "The Bob Newhart Show"/"Newhart" return from Midnight to 1 a.m. (All three, are well under shown today.)

Odd because in the early days of "The Happy Channel/55.2" they'd show Andy Griffith back to back from 4 to 5 pm. It was a nice change from the 24 hour religious reruns on "Happy" and the News/Talk fare on the 3, 5, and 8's at the time. This was also against the grain of Andy being on 19.2 at 8 pm, and about three other cable channels at various other times.