The departure of television executives is not often newsworthy. In the case of Steve Tello, the senior vice president and general manager of FSN Pittsburgh, there's a good chance many of the station's regular viewers never have heard of him.

But, if they're a Pittsburgh sports fan, Tello has impacted their life in at least some small way.

After a little more than three years of excellent leadership in Pittsburgh, Tello, who has worked at the highest level of network news as the producer for Peter Jennings on ABC, has accepted a similar position with FSN Houston, which is the 10th-largest television market in the country. Pittsburgh is 22nd.

The fact FSN Pittsburgh is in the process of being sold to Liberty Media was a factor in Tello's decision.

"After a lot of thought, I elected to stay with the group I've been with for nine years," said Tello, who spent six years in Los Angeles with Fox (FSN). "I'm going to go to Houston and build a regional sports network. They have the rights to the Astros and the Rockets. It's a terrific project.

"My history, when I left producing to go into managing, has been building things. The most interesting aspect of the Fox offer is that it's a startup. They do not have an operation there. I'm going to build a staff, develop relationships with the teams."

All Houston programming is currently handled in Dallas by FSN Southwest.

Tello is a different breed of boss, at least in the media industry. He's not just liked by his employees, he's admired and respected.

"He's one of the best I've ever worked for," said Stan Savran, the FSN veteran who has worked for many in his more than 30 year career. "He elevated the profile of FSN to a level it had never been before. He gave it an identity, a sense of attachment to the community.

"I have worlds of respect for him. He has functioned at the very highest level of journalist. He is a journalist first.

"He is exactly the kind of person it takes to lead. I understand why Fox would want him in Houston. He's a tremendous asset."

While in Pittsburgh, Tello elevated the brand of his product, formed strong relationships will all the sports franchises in town, pro and college. He signed long-term deals with the Pirates and Penguins, whose programming is the lifeblood of a regional sports network. He instituted Thursday night high school football and extended the contract with the WPIAL for the high school football playoffs. He upgraded the level of journalism and professionalism on his staff, and it showed in the product.

"I'm going to miss Pittsburgh," Tello said. "I've made a lot of friends here, personally and professionally. But the excitement and challenge of building another operation for Fox is something I love to do. I had to grab this opportunity."

The best sports talk show in town is heard on ESPN Radio 1250. It's not The Mark Madden Show and it's not Junker and Crow, two good shows in their own right.

The best sports-talk show in town is not only one most people don't listen to, it's one most people don't know exists.

The 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. time slot on Saturday is not exactly prime time in talk radio. But, when Joe Starkey is hosting "Game Day" in that slot, it's the best listen in town.

Starkey, whose full-time job is as a columnist for the Tribune-Review, is funny, honest, topical, irreverent and critical. But what really sets him apart from the competition is his reporting skills. It's fashionable in Pittsburgh sports talk to rip from afar. Too many hosts all over the dial are away from the fray, pontificating with bluster instead of first-hand knowledge.

Starkey is different. He's out in the field, gathering facts, talking to people, learning what's really going on. That's the basis of solid opinions, not off-the-wall rants rooted in nothing.

Myron Cope is best remembered for the personality he developed on the air, which made him the most listened to sport-talk show host in Pittsburgh history. But the basis of Cope's success was dogged reporting. He was everywhere, which enabled him to break news and be informative to his listeners. Starkey follows the same pattern.

Starkey does not have many guests, which is good, but the ones he gets are excellent. His almost-weekly sessions during the baseball season with Keith Law, a columnist for ESPN.com, are can't-miss stuff. As a former executive with the Toronto Blue Jays, Law has the expertise to back up his opinions. His critiques of the Pirates and former general manager Dave Littlefield were the best segments all week on sport-talk radio.

Law is good, but Starkey's interviewing skill makes him better.

It's hard to say whether Starkey could maintain such a strong show if he had to do it on a daily routine. That's the true test. But for three hours one day a week, he's got it just right.