▁these ▁early ▁years , ▁the ▁Emer gency ▁Broadcast ▁System ▁required ▁many ▁stations ▁to ▁shut ▁down ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁a ▁national ▁emer gency . ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁when ▁a ▁National ▁Level ▁E BS ▁message ▁was ▁accident ally ▁activ ated , ▁W S NS ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁television ▁station ▁to ▁respond ▁correctly ▁and ▁shut ▁down . ▁ ▁The ▁all - news ▁format ▁was ▁not ▁particularly ▁successful , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁W S NS ▁had ▁converted ▁into ▁an ▁entertain ment - based ▁independent , ▁running ▁a ▁low - bud get ▁general ▁entertain ment ▁schedule . ▁Basically , ▁W S NS ▁was ▁the ▁" also ▁ran " ▁independent ▁station ▁in ▁the ▁market , ▁running ▁whatever ▁programming ▁that ▁established ▁independ ents , ▁W GN - TV ▁and ▁W F LD ▁( now ▁a ▁Fox ▁owned - and - oper ated ▁station ), ▁decl ined ▁to ▁purchase ▁the ▁local ▁rights ▁to . ▁The ▁line up ▁included ▁some ▁Japanese ▁animated ▁and ▁advent ure ▁series ▁( such ▁as ▁Prince ▁Planet , ▁Ul tr aman , ▁Marine ▁Boy ▁and ▁The ▁Space ▁Gi ants ), ▁along ▁with ▁low - bud get ▁cart o ons , ▁older ▁off - network ▁shows , ▁older ▁feature ▁films , ▁and ▁religious ▁programming . ▁ ▁W S NS ▁did ▁incorpor ate ▁a ▁few ▁stronger ▁programs ▁within ▁its ▁schedule ▁( am ong ▁them , ▁I ▁Love ▁Lucy , ▁The ▁M unst ers , ▁Le ave ▁It ▁To ▁Be aver ▁and ▁G omer ▁P yle