WTAE-TV has won a prestigious honor for its investigative reports exposing how Pennsylvania's state-run student loan agency cost taxpayers more than $1 million in frivolous spending.

Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc., honoring the best in investigative reporting by print, broadcast and online media, has named the station the winner of an IRE Medal. Other 2007 honorees include The Washington Post, New York Times, Salt Lake Tribune and MSNBC.

The judges, in awarding the Freedom of Information Award to Channel 4, wrote of the stories about the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency: "Investigative reporter Jim Parsons pushed open the front door of a closed government agency ... revealing glaring examples of wasteful and abusive spending of taxpayer money.

"Travel documents revealed bureaucrats spent thousands of dollars on items and services such as tuxedo rentals, alcohol, flower arrangements, NFL tickets, aromatherapy massages and greens fees."

The judges noted that some employees had to reimburse expenditures after the stories aired and that Parsons took his advocacy on behalf of open records beyond reporting by organizing statewide forums on the Open Records Act and fighting for a new Right to Know law.

Bob Longo, the station's news director, said yesterday that the news staff was happy and thrilled at this rare honor. The investigation was "18 months in the making, we had to fight in court with lawyers to make this thing happen."

IRE board president James Grimaldi said the organization has never awarded this many medals in one year and serves as a testament to groundbreaking work during difficult times for the media. "Investigative journalism is alive and thriving and making a difference in our world."

The medal will be awarded in Miami in June. (Barbara Vancheri, PG movie editor)

CNN Headline News isn't the first place you'd look for comedy, but the network says it will try to have fun with some of the clips in its news archives.

"Not Just Another Cable News Show" will premiere April 5, the network said Monday.

"It's an entertaining way to recall some of the more memorable moments captured on video," said Ken Jautz, executive vice president at CNN Worldwide.

The 30-minute show will be on Saturdays at 7 p.m., then repeated twice later in the evening. (Associated Press)

The cast and crew of "Scrubs" are going back to work this week, even as the show remains caught between two networks.

The NBC comedy will put the finishing touches on an episode that began production before the writers' strike, and it may also film a couple more installments, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This despite the fact that the network hasn't asked for any new episodes beyond the five that were completed before the strike but haven't yet aired.

The additional episodes could end up as a bonus on the seventh-season DVD collection for "Scrubs," with producer ABC Studios footing the bill. Another increasingly strong possibility is that the new episodes will end up on ABC, which is interested in grabbing the show for another season.

Speculation about ABC picking up the show has become an annual rite of spring the past couple of years, since the series is produced by Disney and the ABC Entertainment chief helped develop "Scrubs" when he was head of the studio (then known as Touchstone TV). The negotiations have been more serious this year, and despite objections from NBC, the network shift is looking more likely.

NBC was initially upset that ABC began negotiations to pick up "Scrubs" before NBC's license agreement expired, but the HR says the two networks have mostly resolved those issues. Current talks are focused on new contracts for cast members; star Zach Braff is reportedly on board.

"Scrubs" is not a ratings powerhouse; it's averaging only 6.2 million viewers a week this season. It does, however, bring in decent demographic numbers and a loyal audience, something few other ABC comedies can say at the moment. (Zap2it.com)

The CBS comedy pilot "My Best Friend's Girl" has found the "girl" of its title.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jennie Garth has been tapped to lead the pilot, which comes from Sony Picture TV.

The comedy focuses on two best friends who own a bike shop together. Hilarity ensues, though, when one of the friends (Tim Peper) begins dating his buddy's (Josh Cooke) ex-wife (Garth).

In addition, Eric Ladin has been cast as the worst salesman at the bike shop. (Zap2it.com)