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This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about WPCW in high definition, Andrew Stockey and making "Sex and the City."
As always, thanks for reading, and keep those questions coming.
-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor
Q: I don't pay for HBO so I am really late to the "Sex and the City" party. How many years was that show on? I really enjoy watching it now, but it seems like they repeat all of about maybe 20 shows! Shouldn't there be years more?
-- Renee, Penn Hills
Rob: Sometimes a network will only purchase a set number of episodes. Perhaps that's what happened in this case. The series ran on HBO for six seasons of fewer than 18 episodes each.
Q: When Chet Huntley retired, NBC rechristened the "Huntley-Brinkley Report" as "NBC Nightly News" and went to a system of rotating anchors, starting with Brinkley and Frank McGee. More than a year later, they flipped McGee with John Chancellor on the "Today" show until McGee's untimely death. So, why in their opening, when they have the voices and pictures of their anchors going back to John Cameron Swayze, do they ignore McGee? Doesn't he deserve better?
-- P. A., Los Angeles, Calif.
Rob: Have to admit, I'm not sure I've ever heard of McGee, and, as an NBC publicist notes, "The opening to the broadcast is a tight piece of production which lasts only three seconds."
Q: I was watching Rita Cosby last night and she got moved to doing "MSNBC Investigates" and her own reports. Why did she get moved?
-- Joe, Greenfield
Rob: MSNBC executives shook up the schedule recently and I believe moving Cosby was part of that. All I can say is, THANK GOODNESS. She has a terrible voice and never should have been hired.
Q: You recently had a question about what shows you would recommend on DVD for this summer and responded " 'Homefront,' if it was available." Well, I have a Web site dedicated to just that effort: www.homefrontondvd.com and have been working with some cast/crew of the show to get their help in getting this show released. There is a petition, video clips, and other info about "Homefront" on this Web site. I have the name of the person at Warner that I need to send this petition to and will be doing so in September, so if you want to help by maybe mentioning this site, that would help a lot. I invite you to come check it out and sign the petition.
Happy Homefronting!
-- Sarah, Ft. Worth, Texas
Rob: I get e-mails like this all the time, and I ignore 90 percent of the save-our-show e-mails because most are hopeless (sorry, "Related" fans) or just not worthwhile. But I can get on board with this one. And yes, I have signed the petition and would encourage all fans of quality drama to do the same.
Q: My husband and I recently spent time in eastern Pennsylvania while our youngest granddaughter was attending freshman orientation at Kutztown University. Because of all the rain, we spent a lot of time in our motel room, and much of that time watching television. I noticed none of the Philadelphia affiliates of national networks used their local call letters, either on screen or when news readers or reporters were talking. They all used the network letters plus their own channel number: CBS3, 4ABC, NBC10. I remember seeing only one local station's own call letters, in very small letters near the bottom of the screen. Is this a trend in the Eastern big cities? I would have mixed emotions if Pittsburgh stations adopted this practice.
-- Roberta, Mount Oliver
Rob: It's been a trend for many years in cities nationwide, particularly among those owned and operated network affiliates. Rumors that KDKA would shift to CBS2 have cropped up from time to time, but it won't happen anytime soon because there's too much brand equity in the KDKA call letters. And as goes KDKA, so goes WPXI and WTAE, at least when it comes to using call letters. WPGH brands itself as "Fox 53" and WPCW has been going by "UPN Pittsburgh."
Q: Will the new WPCW (Channel 19) begin digital transmission of a HDTV signal beginning with or prior to the debut of the CW in September? If so, will it be carried by Comcast, Direct TV and DishNetwork as an HD channel?
-- Mike, Jeannette
Q: Once again I'm curious about the current status of the (so-far ill-fated, long-term) efforts by CBS/KDKA to get the digital version of Channel 19's signal on the air. It appears to be caught up in litigation (again), but I haven't been able to find any details.
Earlier this year, the FCC finally acted on WPCW's application for a digital channel reallocation. And, at the time, Mark Etzi was gracious enough to send me a return e-mail saying he hoped to have the signal on the air by the launch date of the CW. From what I could find out, I gather WPCW is planning to rent space on Channel 40's tower which would eliminate time lost due to tower construction.
Apparently, the channel reallocation holdup was the result of objections filed by the owner of a low power TV station in Indiana, Pa. The FCC dismissed those objections on the basis that there were other frequencies available for the Indiana station to lose.
But now, it seems that, once again, WPCW's latest application (this time for the construction permit needed to get Channel 49 on the air) is being challenged. I can't tell what's up with that ... except it means those of us who want to watch the shows moving from the WB (and UPN) to the CW will be viewing them in standard-def analog. In my case it's a tad worse: I need to pick up Channel 19's signal OTA.
Do you have any info on this?
-- Rick, Pittsburgh
Rob:According to WPCW station manager Rich Davis, the equipment is in Pittsburgh, but the station is awaiting FCC approval of our construction permit (Rob's take on this: Clearly, the FCC is too busy looking for profanity on TV to get its act together on this).
"Once [FCC approval] happens, the turnaround will be fairly quick," Davis said. "Our corporate staff will be handling any cable and/or cable carriage of the signal, and I'll let you know when we have news on that front."
So that will be a negotiation between CBS and Comcast and CBS and Adelphia.
Davis said despite FCC delays and another challenge, he remains hopeful that the digital signal will be broadcasting by the network's debut on Sept. 18. I'm not holding my breath.
Q: Lately it seems the local media enjoys using the Internet to have their own blogs, respond to other blogs, and film their farewells. I read The Burgh Blog (www.theburghblog.com) regularly, and recently Wendy Bell of WTAE (or someone impersonating her) wrote into that blog to tell everyone that she is not a backstabber, etc. Was it confirmed if the posting was actually authored by Ms. Bell? Just wondering . . .
-- Laurie, Ross
Rob:You can't always believe everything you read online (i.e. this hilarious but untrue story: carbolicsmokeblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/rick-sebak-assaults-television-critic.html).
As for the Bell e-mail, according to the blogger who runs that site, Bell's e-mail came from someone with her married surname in the e-mail address. Bell denies sending the e-mail that is posted on the site.
Q: The only local news I watch is WTAE. I have noticed that since Michelle Wright has been teamed with Wendy Bell, these newscasts seem very stiff. Having watched for many years, I have never seen a newscast with two anchors that feels like each is independently anchoring. It's painfully obvious that either Michelle Wright has no chemistry with Wendy Bell or just doesn't like her. It's difficult to watch.
Have you noticed this or received e-mail in regard to this? Do you think yet another change to the anchor teams will occur?
-- Jaime, Latrobe
Rob: I have noticed it.
Q: Was Andrew Stockey's move to the early-morning news, co-anchor spot from his sports director position considered a promotion, a demotion or a lateral-level move? I think he is very good where ever he is, but it seemed to me that he is a natural and talented "sports guy." What's your opinion?
-- Ellen, Shadyside
Rob: I've always been fond of Stockey as a sports anchor, but I also like him as a news anchor. I think he's a good on-air talent no matter what role he's given at Channel 4. And yes, I'd consider this move a promotion, as it gives him more time at the anchor desk.
