With prices rising and consumers feeling the pinch, local stations have made money-saving tips a cornerstone of their sweeps features this month. It's a timely tactic and one that can benefit viewers when done right.

But WPXI, with its "Saving Money Every Day" reports, has squandered its chance to make a positive impression by falling victim to the same old problem. Too often Channel 11 sweeps stories, whether they're consumer features or investigations, fail to tell viewers anything new or report on things that have much impact on their lives.

Whether it's a case of relying too much on consultant gimmicks or a lack of imagination among the WPXI staff (the station has been without a consumer reporter for almost a year-and-a-half), their stories more often provoke, "No, duh," instead of "Wow, that was valuable information."

I can't help but think that WPXI's ratings doldrums of late may be related to these reports that don't live up to the hype.

The industry trade newsletter ShopTalk recently chastised newscasts "that simply state the obvious ... the lame tips ... story ideas that go from the obligatory to the tiresome."

Doug Drew of 602 Communications offered advice on what stations need to do: Tell us something we don't know.

"Too many newscasts are filled with the obvious," he wrote. "It's one of the biggest reasons why viewers are rejecting local news."

Several examples Drew gave were featured on Channel 11's reports this month, including tired energy saving tips and ways to save money on gas.

Drew advised stations to find a new angle. If that's not possible, the report may not be worth doing.

I really don't mean to harp on WPXI, but do viewers really need to be told that they can make money by having a garage sale? Or that we can save money by taking shorter showers?

Not everything on Channel 11 has been a waste. A Stacia Erdos report on haggling didn't feel like something I'd seen a hundred times. (KDKA's Yvonne Zanos did a report on the same topic two days later.)

But generally other stations have offered better consumer stories. I learned something from KDKA's useful, not overhyped tips on ways to save on prescription drugs and from a WTAE report on Web sites that offer codes for free online shipping. I wish I could say I learned from most of Channel 11's reports, but I didn't.

The Penguins are the new Steelers if you judge by the number of reports in newscasts this week that tried to lure Penguins fans.

Of course there's reason for excitement and coverage, but just as Steelers fans have complained to me that they're tired of excessive Steelers coverage, local stations seem poised to overdo it with the Penguins.

KDKA sent Alison Morris to Sidney Crosby's hometown in Nova Scotia. The report made no revelations, but it at least provided a sense of place. WPXI featured an interview with the parents of a Philadelphia Flyers player who is a Pittsburgh native. WTAE's Michelle Wright played pool with Crosby, mugging for the camera after a good shot, "Sidney Crosby, in your face!"

But wait, there's breaking news! The Steelers first-round draft pick was robbed at gunpoint in Chicago! Time to lead a newscast with it! And a police dog was shot. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger likes police dogs; let's get his reaction!

And just like that, the Penguins were nudged aside and the Steelers returned to the spotlight.

At least until tonight's hockey game.

Some viewers have expressed concern about anchors not being allowed to finish a sentence. One anchor will start speaking and then the second anchor will finish the same sentence.

The dangers of this silly practice were evident last Thursday at 11 p.m. on WTAE when one of the anchors -- it was hard to tell which one -- didn't follow the script.

Mike Clark: She once vowed she would never spend a day in prison and now --

Wendy Bell: The woman, excuse me, the woman known as the D.C. madam ...

Viewers also complain about mispronunciations, but sometimes the English language doesn't get beaten up by local anchors. KDKA's Ken Rice had a good time with puns while introducing a "Larry on the Job" segment featuring KDKA-AM's Larry Richert, reproduced below (the italics are mine):

"Tonight we find Larry working as a lineman for Duquesne Light. It's an experience that left Larry transformed. We just hope it will spark your interest and doesn't generate resistance. It should come as no shock that this is a highly charged report, so get yourselves amped up. And please forgive everything I've just said. Sometimes I just need an outlet. Now watch closely or you're all grounded."

Yes, it's goofy and a knowing groaner, but the writing at least evinces cleverness and intelligence, something that's too often lacking from TV news writing.

KDKA's Andy Sheehan reported on divergent reactions to a North Side school for disruptive students, but was it really necessary to use fear to promote it, calling it "the most dangerous school in Pittsburgh"? If KDKA is going to call it that, I really expect Sheehan to go in wearing body armor. He didn't.

WTAE sent anchor Mike Clark to Los Angeles for reports on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," which airs on the channel. It's a regular practice for TV stations to cross-promote network hits, especially when there's a local connection (Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor is a Pittsburgh native), but this particular and more costly maneuver is not frequently employed by Pittsburgh stations.

Clark said he was there for the "historic 100th episode" of "Dancing With the Stars." Historic? Really? On what planet?

"Corner Gas" and Cubs fans take note: Armstrong will drop WGN from its lineup effective May 30.

Armstrong spokesman Dave Wittmann said the decision to drop WGN was based on low ratings and the changing tides of cable, which has moved away from the "superstation" concept that was WGN's position. He said it was not a matter of being unable to come to a contract extension with WGN.

"For the first time this year we are actually looking at that basic lineup and what has to change there," he said. "We are trying to stay up with our customers' needs for the future, and a big chunk of that is HD."

He said Armstrong will use the channel capacity reclaimed by dropping WGN for additional HD channels.

"We certainly recognize that we're always going to disappoint someone when a station is taken off," he said, "just like a network disappoints some portion of its audience because it eliminates a television show because it's run its course."

Local filmmaker Billy Jackson's film "Enough Is Enough: The Death of Jonny Gammage," which has been screened in venues around town in the past, will have its TV premiere tonight at 10 on WQED.

The hourlong documentary, narrated by Danny Glover, will chronicle the case of Gammage, who died in 1995 after a struggle with five suburban police officers following a traffic stop. Gammage was black, the officers were white. Three of the officers were prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter; none was convicted.

"Enough" looks at the life of Gammage and the issue of police misconduct. Details on the film can be found at www.nommoproductions.com.

AMC has renewed "Breaking Bad" for a second season of 13 episodes. ... Shia LeBeouf hosts "Saturday Night Live" (11:30 p.m. Saturday, WPXI) this weekend with musical guest My Morning Jacket. Steve Carell hosts the season finale May 17 with music from Usher. ... After low ratings, NBC has yanked reruns of cable hits "Monk" and "Psych" from its Sunday night schedule, replacing them with reruns of "The Office." ... Rhonda Wilson of West Mifflin will be on "The Price Is Right" (11 a.m. weekdays, KDKA) on Tuesday. ... Local resident John Siciliano, a 37-year-old Paralympic athlete, will compete in Monday's "American Gladiators" (8 p.m., WPXI).

Results of the Post-Gazette's annual Readers' Remote: Keep or Cancel? poll will be published in TV Week and online on Sunday.

In this week's Tuned In Podcast, entertainment editor Sharon Eberson and I discuss seasons one and two of Showtime's "The Tudors," the goofy fun of BBC America's "Robin Hood" and the wonders of that sarcastic TV doc, "House." Subscribe or listen at post-gazette.com/podcast.

This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about "Scrubs," "CSI: Miami" and "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." Ask questions at post-gazette.com/tv.