WGN News - Chicago Reviews

by Bill 1223456

News articles are not removed when outdated in a timely fashion, they add new ones but don’t review what’s already there. Another issue is duplicate stories... the same article can appear multiple times. WGNNews is very slow to load stories because of massive amounts af advertisements on each page. Overall not professionally done and a pain to use. It is better than the ridiculously biased bull on the majors or CNN types but still painful to use. Should be better.

by CK - CK

Since I switched to streaming for my TV, I have been using WGNNews to get my WGN morning news on my iPad. In the old version you could shrink the screen and continue to watch in a small or very small version or even move it off screen to continue to listen. In this new version I am not finding this option which is extremely a big bummer for me and will limit my time with WGN. 😥. I love the morning team but may have to find a new morning favorite. Please bring back this feature!

by Suegee G

So- I don’t know how to process this. I respond to the wgn request for feedback on their site and each time I respond that I would like to see fewer dead dog stories, but each day, more appear. Not more news about the people who have created this environment of hate and, well, dead dogs.

I understand that I might be the only one telling them this but really. I don’t open up the news to find out how a dog dies today. I already donate to animal shelters, etc. I can’t believe that a local news feed just happens upon a story of a dog getting tossed out of a car in all ports of America, put in an oven etc. they must be seeking this garbage out.

I deleted WGNNews . It’s not news, it’s that worst person you know in the lunchroom who is forever talking about horrific things that no one wants to here. I am walking out of that room. Walking out of the WGN ‘news room.’ They can tell their horror stories to whomever, it’s not going to be me. I’ll be reading news from now on. Give money to organizations that help abused animals, do not give to WGN by signing into their app.

by Izzamae

Trying to watch my favorite live morning news on WGNNews is an effort in futility. Try to open it and it just freezes again and again, and I live in Chicago. I have to tap again and again for the sound to come on. When it blocks out sports it just shuts down. Pretty much the only things that seem to come through with no issues are the commercials. I will especially miss the morning news crews, but I think it’s time to try CBS or NBC:

by Mo_Mo_ Mo_Mo

I’ve had WGNNews for a long time. Even if the way it’s set up was never great, at least it worked smoothly and I was able to see more local news than the other Chicago news apps. But now it’s gotten to be impossible to use. It constantly crashes. And when I can actually click on a news story, it’s slow to open and then freezes so you can’t see more than the first few lines and the Continue Reading can’t be selected because, of course, it’s frozen. So WGNNews is now useless. I end up having to use the abc7chicago app to see news.

by Brianbobcat

WGNNews has only gotten worse over time. Clicking a news notification almost never pulls up the actual story. Breaking news and videos play ads before the stream starts and then usually there’s a problem. And almost EVERY SINGLE TIME the video finally does play, there’s no audio. NOTHING I do fixes it. Turning my mute switch off doesn’t help. I have no Bluetooth, AirPlay, AirPods, or any other audio device connected. Quitting WGNNews just results in another ad and no audio. What is the point to even having an app if it’s going to be this terrible?

by Karameliscious

I Want to LOVE WGNNews... when it works, which is rarely. If WGNNews decides to open, it tends to crash within 10 seconds of being open. Reading an amazing article??? Just wait until it freezes on you, then crashes. Then multiple attempts at opening the article to Finish a good read.... only result in further crashes; ironically at or around the same part of that article. Did you actually read an entire article with no glitches?? Wonderful!! But good luck trying to share it with someone.... the sharing option buttons work when they want to; sometimes they appear, and something they don’t. The above has proven true on older version on my iPhone 8+, and my iPhone 11 Pro as well as my iPad. The only reliable detail of WGNNews are the notifications they send for various news alerts. I

by Wifi Wonder

As stated in the previous review WGNNews works ok on the phone. But if you use WGNNews with an Apple TV it doesn’t work well, and drops off after syncing after a few minutes. You have to go into your phone settings and set the display to always on which is going to run your phone battery down quickly.

But if you use Safari on your iPhone you can connect easily to Wgn Tv live streaming and it works fine!

So it appears WGNNews has a software issue and you need to get it fixed!

by Powers Place

You used to be able to play WGNNews in the background while you did other things on your tablet or iPhone, but now if you open an app it closes out WGN, so you can’t watch the news while you read your email anymore. I’m a little disappointed that they called this an upgrade.

by SlotCarTom236

WGN will continue to be my source for news as it still seems to be mostly unbiased. I find the news app however (41.4.0) frustrating to use, and the stories are displayed in a disorganized manner. When trying to read a top story on the main page, the video portion expands down, compressing the space for the written copy. The scroll attempts cause the video to move back up (sort of out of the way) but the text then floats and scrolls simultaneously making it very difficult to read. I had hoped that disabling the autoplay for videos would help, but it doesn’t really make that much of a difference, nor minimize the video portion. I realize there is only so much real estate on a tiny screen, but I’d rather just see the headlines, and read the story via a simple scroll. Would you please consider going back to separate text and video sections; the blended formats are just too difficult to navigate. Thx!

by Partwerks9

WGN app is now over writing other apps on my phone. When for example I try to use my Kindle app WGN comes up instead I don’t know how to make it stop interfering to meet with my other apps and I can’t find it on your website pleasePlease fix this problem so it works properly. I can’t have an interfering with my other apps

by Gunnar70

For an app designed for my phone it works good. The problem starts when I try to use the AirPlay function. Can’t navigate away from WGNNews or stream stops on the television. Can’t set the phone down while using AirPlay because if I don’t tap the screen every 8 seconds the stream will stop if the screen on my phone goes to sleep. STUPID! Can you guys PLEASE just create an AppleTV app already? Or at the very least get it right with the airplay function. I want to be able to multitask while streaming the show to my Apple TV. That’s the whole point of AirPlay! To allow me to use the screen on my phone to do other things while watching the show on the bigger TV screen. Other streaming apps do this just fine, what’s the problem WGN? I cut cable almost 2 years ago. I miss my WGN with my morning coffee but at this point its becoming obvious you guys don’t care to make an AppleTV app. Deleting WGNNews, it was a nice 30 year run WGN maybe someday you guys will discover AppleTV and make us an app for it. You know, like literally every single other network on the planet has.

by Camsre

I dig WGNNews. I like access to local news stories, and appreciate the Breaking News updates that are actual breaking news. But I’m getting frustrated lately with the updates in advance of every single televised, and virtual, and Spanish newscast. That’s not breaking news!! As a result, I’m inclined to cancel all updates unless there’s a way to turn them off that I don’t know about.

by KnitChick1979

I’ve been using the WGN app for a while now, and I frequently visit the website (with my ad blocker off for WGN so I can support my local news). But WGNNews has become far too heavy on the apps, it’s almost impossible to read the news stories with all the ads covering everything up. I’m close to deleting WGNNews because it’s not really usable.

(Also in WGNNews it says “enjoying WGNNews ? Yes or not so much” and tapping the “not so much” does nothing 🤔)

by Poo Flinger Jr

It’s not a bad app for getting local news. There are better options for national and world news though.
The only reason I’m writing this review is because they ask you in app how you like WGNNews . There are two options, a) could be better, and b) love it, and the could be better button does nothing! Lol talk about cheeky.
One other silly thing they do is list the same story two and occasionally three times. Once is enough for most news apps but not here. So, my answer to their question is, could be better.

by Crissy Kann

I am a faithful WGN viewer and loved being able to watch on the go. This update makes it very difficult to do so. There’s no chance to rewind or fast forward, even for a few seconds, which is frustrating as it allows me to really listen for all the headlines as well as jokes. You also can’t have WGNNews play on Picture in Picture like you used to, and there’s an ad every time WGNNews closes (so if I get a text message that interrupts the broadcast, I have to watch an ad again). Plus, Pat’s sports segments are muted. It used to be that you could listen to him without highlights, but you can’t even hear him. It’s devastating. Please fix, WGN. You are our bright light in this tough time - and this is just awful.

by Major News

With the last update, for me at least the radar does not show precipitation or future, whether looping or future settings are enabled or not (both the phone and pad apps, running 14.4).

And don’t expect journalism: rather than who, what, where, when, why, how, WGN app pretty much is lucky to report where and when, scarcely what, because WGN doesn’t employ reporters who know how to ask and follow up no matter how useless, ignorant or nonsensical the stuff interviewees spout.

by Lucs's Mom

I listen to other news sources throughout the day. I just love WGN, I’m always hearing about something for the first time on this news stations. Great way to keep in tough with local news!!

by Choose-another

Yes, I love GN news but do I really have to hear the Tile Outlet commercial every single time I watch the news live, on my app??? Also, good thing I’m not into sports since they can’t show any footage related to sports. But my morning is all about listening and watching this fun, entertaining and yet informative news. OMG, I almost forgot the Friday Dance segment! That right there is worth a 5 star rating! ❤️😘

by Nevada Pat

One can always count on all of it's reports and if were not for WGN news team they always keep up with current breaking news. When returning back to Chicago and Michigan to be with our grandkids we always depend on Tom Skilling wether or not to bring our shorts or pack our Long Johns. Best of health each and every day to News Team and everyone of there family members. Wish you all the best Pat & Bob Las Vegas NV.

by Mia4444games

Live video is buggy. After updating WGNNews , the Live feed now stutters & will replay a sentence un-syncing the voice/video. Gets worse the longer it plays. Annoying having to reboot WGNNews and sit through that same stupid Tile Outlet ad each time. Wish I hadn’t updated WGNNews . This happened when I updated last year too and it was MONTHS before it was fixed.

by Deborahgem

Used to like it just fine. For the last few days a video ad for Windstar Cruises keeps popping up over and over even if I do not touch any ad related link. It is getting frustrating to have to close this video repeatedly while trying to read the news!

by Dizzy Lizzie - Cornfield USA

I love WGN News. Always have. WGNNews is good and does all that it says, but there is way too much advertisement. All of it in your face and completely irrelevant. Until just recently, that is. I downloaded a popular real estate app to look for a new house. Interesting how all of a sudden the ads on WGNNews are for, you guessed it, real estate listing! However, if you can get past that and ignore it then this is a pretty good news app. I would gladly pay for WGNNews if it had zero ads. Due to the number of ads I give it only 3 stars.

by Hidy69

WGN is place I go to for quality, professional, with a spot of humor mixed in, news. Keep it up or go down fighting!

by Timmy847

Awesome show please please please don’t break this one up to other stations have tried you have the best

by $:)$987@987

I moved out of Chicago after living there my entire life. I MISS the WGN morning crew something awful! However the WGN app is at least a little relief. I love you WGN but nothing beats Arizona’s weather!!

by My Up To Date News

I don’t start my day without watching WGN or checking there app, one or the other, but while I’m out away from home it’s definitely the WGN APP for all my up to the minute news!

by Rodente'

Easy to navigate. Stories usually brief that one of more entire stories can be read while waiting - for whatever. Keeps me abreast of what is happening in your home town.

by Iluvgzus

I continue to follow WGN news even when I no longer live in Illinois. WGN has always been a great source for the latest news in Chicago, its suburbs, and the nation. Super reliable weather forecast as long as I can remember. You guys are great!!

by Ebethannie

I love WGNNews. It’s up to date with reporting what is going on. It covers a wide variety of news. I always read something I didn’t hear or read with other news media’s.

by The Original Buz

As a former Chicago resident living in the Atlanta area, I love to “keep in touch” with my hometown city. WGN brings to me news, weather, and sports to assuage my desire to be home. Thanks and keep up the five star work!