The Donlon Report | |
---|---|
Presented by | Joe Donlon |
Production | |
Production locations | WGN-TV Studios, Chicago |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Production company | Nexstar Media Group |
Release | |
Original network | NewsNation |
Original release | March 1, 2021 March 25, 2022 | –
The Donlon Report was a nightly American television news program on NewsNation, which premiered on March 1, 2021. The one-hour-long program is hosted by Joe Donlon at 6 p.m. ET.[1]
The cable network WGN America was rebranded to NewsNation by its corporate parent Nexstar Media Group on the same day and expand to five hours of live news programming.[2]
The expansion in programming is a move to compete against other U.S. Cable News programs.[3] The Donlon Report will go against largely opinion-based programs in that timeslot: The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on CNN, The Beat with Ari Melber on MSNBC and Special Report with Bret Baier on Fox News.[4]
The show replaced reruns of Last Man Standing.
On March 15, 2022, Donlon has decided to leave NewsNation, his last show on The Donlon Report will air on March 25, 2022.[5] On March 28, 2022, NewsNation Rush Hour will replace The Donlon Report at 6 PM ET, and it will air from 5-7 PM ET.[6]
NewsNation has stated the show will take “in-depth look at the news events of the day” mixed with interviews from experts “who can add insight and perspective.”[7] Unlike Donlon's anchoring of the previous three hour news block now titled NewsNation Prime, Donlon can comment on the news,[8] and uses the first portion of every program as a brief monologue on the top story covered.[9] Unlike the other NewsNation newscasts, Donlon will not necessarily seek to provide balance on each night but will strive to incorporate different viewpoints over a longer period.[10] NewsNation has been using its 5,500 local journalists at Nexstar Media Group stations across the country to provide content since the primetime broadcast premiered in September 2020.
Joe Donlon moved from the show's primetime broadcast to his own show. Before NewsNation, Donlon was the main anchor at Chicago's WGN-TV for three years.[11] He spent 21 years at KGW in Portland, Oregon before moving to Chicago.[12] Donlon has been criticized for his soft interviewing and alleged insufficient challenges to false claims.[8]