Submit your question to Rob Owen

This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about The CW, "Little People, Big World" and "Wildfire."

As always, thanks for reading, and keep those questions coming.

-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor

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Q: With all the discussions about Mayor O'Connor's condition, where has Dr. Paul Nemiroff been on KDKA-TV? I have heard him on the air a few times and they always mention that head and neck cancer are his specialties. If you have a source like that, wouldn't it be wise to use him? With all the guessing as to the condition of his honor, I would like to hear an expert give an opinion.

-- Pat, Bridgeville

Rob: I've noticed his absence in the past six months, too. KDKA general manager Chris Pike explains that "Dr. Paul is a part-time KDKA employee and is on the air based on our need and, more importantly, his availability.

"He has a number of other things he is involved in and, as a result, is not always available when we need him," Pike said. "I know of a few instances lately where he has been out of town lecturing in other cities. There have been times when we have consulted him concerning our coverage even though he was unavailable to be on the air. We are always happy to take advantage of his expertise whenever we can."

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Q: With all the hype about Katie Couric taking over the "CBS Evening News" and competing against Brian Williams and Charles Gibson, I was wondering why they don't go head-to-head in Pittsburgh. Are there other markets where they don't have the same time slot? And I know nationally that it's NBC, ABC then CBS when it comes to ratings, but what are the numbers like here?

-- Chase, Robinson

Rob: There are some other markets where the three newscasts do not go head-to-head, but it's more the exception than the rule.

It's hard to compare the three locally since they don't air simultaneously and the viewing levels are different at 7 p.m. than they are at 6:30 p.m. In July, "World News" (5.7/11) on WTAE beat "NBC Nightly News" (5.3/11) on WPXI. "CBS Evening News" on KDKA had a 6.2 rating/12 share.

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Q: WTAE still hasn't named a sports director since Andrew Stockey was reassigned as a news anchor. Jon Burton does a terrific job on camera, and I would hope he would get the job. I'm not sure what a "sports director" does, but Burton does a great job in his reporting (great personality and sense of humor) and has a very broad view of sports (as he said on camera one night in a discussion of soccer after the World Cup). He plays/played rugby and acknowledges "world sports," which is broader than those that typical Americans (and many American sports reporters) consider "sports of interest."

Do you think that Jon Burton will get the position of sports director? I had read that WTAE was conducting a "national search" for the position, and I was wondering if that's code for "not Jon Burton."

-- Susan, Murrysville

Rob: That's not bad reasoning, and you could be right, although there have certainly been cases locally where a "national search" has resulted in an internal promotion.

WTAE news director Bob Longo said an announcement will be forthcoming in the next week.

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Q: I'm still confused about the new CW network. I am aware that it will take up channel slot 19 on my cable system, but in looking ahead to next Tuesday's listings, I notice that "Veronica Mars" is set to air on 19 at 8 p.m. and that "Desire" will be on 22. So where does that leave "Gilmore Girls"? I am aware that these shows are just reruns, but I'd like to know for future reference.

-- Grace, Cranberry

Rob: As we've reported repeatedly since the announcement was made in January, "Gilmore Girls" and other former WB shows will migrate to The CW, which debuts on Pittsburgh's WPCW, Channel 19, on Sept. 20. "Gilmore Girls" has its season premiere Sept. 26.

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Q: We love "Little People, Big World," which airs on TLC. Has it been renewed for the new season?

-- Marlowe, Bethel Park

Rob: It has. The new season begins at 8 p.m. Oct. 7 with a second episode at 8:30 p.m.

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Q: Is the show "Wildfire" returning this fall to ABC Family channel? If so, what day and time will it air? If not, why?

-- Judy, Monroe, Wis.

Rob: The third season of "Wildfire" is currently in production outside of Albuquerque, N.M., according to a network publicist. Production continues through November, and the new episodes will air sometime in early 2007, day and time to be announced.

In the meantime, online episodes (a k a "webisodes") will air this winter at www.ABCFamily.com, telling more of the story of Kris Furillo (Genevieve Cortese) and her life before she came to Raintree Ranch.

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COMMENTS

There is one plot device that I am tired of seeing in show after show after show on TV. I think it should be permanently banned in every scriptwriter's manual. What is this device? The T-bone vehicle accident, where one vehicle enters an intersection and is rammed in the side by another vehicle coming from the cross street.

They used it to end the finale of TNT's "Saved." They used it in NBC's short-lived "Windfall" series. I'm sure I've seen it plenty of other times which I did not make specific note of at the time, but I do recall when they used it in ABC's "Alias." It's time for the T-bone accident to go to the scriptwriting graveyard in the sky.

-- John, Green Tree

Rob: John's right, that device has been overused. Perhaps it's worth noting that Pittsburgh-set drama "The Guardian" used it first (in recent memory) in the show's second season.

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This is more of a comment than a question. I've been watching the developments with Mayor O'Connor (as of the morning of 9/1) and I couldn't help but think as I watch the local news that if ol' Ben had crashed his motorcycle now, the mayor would get little more than a passing mention before a commercial break. Or, at least I hope that he would get that much.

That might not be true, but the fact that the thought came to mind should show someone the negative impression local news has left with some (I'd like to believe most) of us.

-- Ron, East McKeesport

Rob: Ron was a little prescient: There was a letter to the editor on the Feedback page of yesterday's Weekend section (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06250/719598-42.stm) complaining that WTAE lead its Sunday night newscast with word of Ben Roethlisberger's appendectomy rather than the first day of O'Connor lying in state.

Although I'm as sick of the Steelers coverage as the next person, I'd actually defend WTAE's decision in this case. There's not a whole lot of news that can come out of lying in state, but Roethlisberger's latest medical update is newsworthy and probably deserved to be the lead on Sunday, more than 48 hours after Mayor O'Connor's death.