Report: Local TV stations are bringing back the late-night National Anthem sign-off

The New York Times reports location TV stations are bringing back the patriotic sign-off of playing the National Anthem, saying it encourages unity at a time of deep division. CNN's Michael Smerconish discusses with musicologist Mark Clague. #CNN #News

33 comments

  1. It’s not the national anthem, it’s that nothing goes off anymore. Who signs off anymore? That valuable ad time for rug lint cutters and men’s performance, wink wink.

    1. @Debbie Abu-El-Jibien Oh Debbie, you’re never to old to drink and do drugs πŸ˜‹β€ – I kid of course, but in central proposition, kinda not. We rarely _actually_ get too old to do _anything._ And to be frank – apart from *really* brutal, hard core physical activity, there really aren’t that many things / experiences that don’t become _better_ with age πŸ˜‰ The experience, more relaxed self-image, understanding ourselves, our bodies, minds and other people so much better – these things that accumulate within us throughout life, tend to _add_ to the enjoyment and valuable fulfillment of (new) experiences – rather than jade or subtract πŸ™‚

      Enjoy life, Debbie. You’re never too old for _anything._ Tomorrow is a brand new day and it’s all yours. And hey – even today still has opportunities left in it πŸ™‚ You rock on, Debs – a rolling stone gathers no moss πŸ˜‰

    2. Sitting on the couch surfing Instagram and KIK.

      You _WISH_ you kids would get out of the house and get into some trouble.

  2. I bet all the stations airing the late night national anthem are owned by Sinclair .It ironic how conservative media personalities are always talking about mainstream media propaganda but yet they seat on top of the largest propaganda machine

  3. I like the analysis from this musicologist and the conversation on both ends in general to uncover and try to touch upon both sides of the controversy.

  4. We do not know of many broadcast stations who are “signing-off” at any time durning the 24 hour day so this seems to be a non-issue to us. Stations for radio and television used to all sign-off for part or parts of the day to conserve the vast amounts of power that used to be used to provide us signal. The power used today is not one-tenth of what it used to be. The proposition that all broadcast stations used the National Anthem for sign-off is an untruth. Our local KSDO radio station in San Diego used to sign off at midnight every night with a rather beautiful orchestral rendition of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

  5. I think playing the national anthem at 4 am is a great idea. It tells insomniacs, “No you are not going to sleep tonight. You might as well take a shower, get dressed, and make the coffee.”

    1. Guess you swinging bye just to announce that, isn’t a complete waist of time for someone of your importance who has been far too busy to watch TV for so many years. I feel blessed…Neh, honored,to have hade this opportunity.

  6. Umm it’s 2019. Not one channel on TV today signs off and shows static for several hours. besides this will not unify anyone until the biggest divider in the history of this country is in jail.

    1. @Eric Talkington no just fox noise people and the republicans in the adx q/trump and his admin. pres. crazy man trump show us we need to get rid of the electoral collage asap

    2. Lemme guess, you’re probably one of the ones falling in line with that complete waste of an idiot that calls himself a football player, refusing to stand.
      Look, it’s the national anthem. Our national anthem. We have the right to be proud of that, regardless of what the idiotic, immature worthless millennials and liberals think.
      If you don’t like it, why not just find another place to live? It’s pretty easy for an American to immigrate to another country.

  7. I grew up around that time when the National Anthem was the sign-off to a TV station in the late 70’s & 80’s. You could actually get some sleep or get a good night’s work in when there were no dumb infomercials at all!

  8. Ohhh, say, can you see,
    by the dawn’s early liiiight….
    What so prouβ€”dly we haaailed…
    at the twilight’s last gleaming?

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