WPXI has always made a point of airing a Black History Month special, usually a well-meaning, documentary-type show about historical figures or community groups.

This year, Channel 11 takes a page from the earliest days of television by filming a one-man stage production of "Stargell."

Viewers are the better for this creative, out-of-the-box approach to an annual production that runs the risk of seeming like an obligation. "Stargell" (7:30 p.m. tomorrow) comes across as a joyful endeavor for its star, Bethel Park resident Gregory Gibson Kenney, who plays Willie Stargell, the late Hall of Famer who starred for the Pirates in the 1970s.

Kenney, 51, earns a living as a full-time professional actor, performing one-man shows on assorted historic figures and celebrities (Louis Armstrong, Jackie Robinson, Bill Cosby; visit EducateUs.orgfor details) in front of school, community and senior citizen groups. WPXI program director Mark Barash saw Kenney's Stargell show and invited him to have it filmed at Channel 11 last month.

Kenney said he uses no set in his stage performances, but WPXI created a spare locker room set for "Stargell," and public affairs director Jonas Chaney has a nonspeaking role as a clubhouse manager seen in the background.

As public affairs programs go, "Stargell" is an entertaining half-hour. It's a low-budget proposition, to be sure, but that's OK. Kenney enthusiastically recounts Stargell's life story. Occasionally he doesn't seem to be looking directly at the camera, but that's a minor gaffe that doesn't distract from the overall impact of the production.

"Stargell" will rerun on PCNC at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, 11 p.m. Monday, and 3 p.m. Tuesday and on WPXI at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

For its Black History Month programming, Comcast has on demand profiles of local African-American leaders, including Urban League of Pittsburgh president Esther Bush, University of Pittsburgh professor Vernell Lillie and Amani International Coffeehouse & Cafe owner Terra Jones.

These profiles can be accessed via the on demand menu in the Your Town folder and a Black History sub-folder.

As reported this week in Tuned In Journal (post-gazette.com/tv/tunedin), Channel 4 has found its replacement for departed news director Bob Longo, who moved on to WTAE's sister-station in Orlando, Fla.

Alex Bongiorno will join WTAE from WSPA, the Media General-owned CBS affiliate in Spartanburg, S.C. (market No. 36; Pittsburgh is market No. 23). She previously worked in news departments of stations in Tampa, Fla., and Las Vegas.

Bongiorno has her work cut out for her. It will be interesting to see what changes she brings to Channel 4, which aired a sensational, one-sided 5 p.m. report by Wendy Bell last Friday that served as a pity party for Christina Korbe, the accused killer of FBI agent Sam Hicks.

The "only on 4" report went inside the Korbe home to show off the spot on the wall where Hicks crashed after he was shot. The report was mostly an interview with Korbe's brother-in-law, which infuriated some viewers, including one who pointed out in an e-mail: "They let someone with an obvious bias who was not present at the scene describe his version of events as if they were established facts. Ridiculous!"

CBS has ordered a pilot episode of a Pittsburgh-set medical drama called "Three Rivers," executive produced by Curtis Hanson, who filmed the movie "Wonder Boys" here.

No, Pittsburgh native David Hollander ("The Guardian") is not involved. And it's not a reboot of Hollander's "Heartland," also about Pittsburgh transplant surgeons. It's also not another stab at the pilot Hollander wrote for ABC, also called "Three Rivers."

Carol Barbee ("Jericho," "Swingtown," "Judging Amy") is attached to this CBS pilot as the writer.

Dawn Keezer, director of the Pittsburgh Film Office, has been in contact with the production, encouraging them to film locally. No word yet on if that might happen.

We'll know if "Three Rivers" gets a series pickup in May.

CBS's new three-episode "48 Hours Mystery" spinoff "Live to Tell" (10 p.m. Saturday) was created by West End native Judy Tygard, a senior producer on "48 Hours." She said the new series attempts to satisfy both true crime fans and viewers who want a happy ending.

Tomorrow's episode features the 2000 story of two college students, including Carnegie Mellon University freshman Dan Zapp, who were shot while on a date.

"Most of these stories are of crime survivors because then you get a villain, a foil to play all the action against," Tygard said by phone yesterday. "We wanted to pick ones where there's a resourcefulness on the part of the survivors. It's not dumb luck. They made their own luck. And they are people who are really whole, who put themselves back together."

"Live to Tell" uses no correspondent and allows the people involved to tell their own stories, which Tygard said made the survivors featured eager to participate.

When WPGH, WPMY and WQEX shut down their analog signals this week, the response was pretty minimal. A representative of WQED Multimedia said it received no calls regarding WQEX. WPGH/WPMY received fewer than 50 calls (both stations' analog channels are running information on the switch to digital for a couple of weeks). A Comcast representative said the cable company received "little-to-no" calls.

Of course, these are not Pittsburgh's most-watched channels, particularly among older viewers who might be most likely to be affected by the transition. WQED will shut down its analog signal April 1, with KDKA, WPXI and WTAE following on June 12.

Digital media strategist Andrew W. Thornhill will offer a presentation on winners in a DTV era tomorrow, 1-4 p.m., at Carnegie Mellon University in Room 103, Breed Hall.

For procrastinators whose digital-to-analog converter box coupons expired before they got around to using them, the National Association of Broadcasters says that once the TV converter box coupon program receives more funding, consumers whose coupons have expired will be able to apply for replacement coupons.

KDKA news anchor Patrice King Brown will be off the air for a few weeks on medical leave. No specifics available, although I understand she's doing well. Calls/e-mails to Brown were not returned as of deadline. ... USA has canceled "The Starter Wife" due to low ratings. ... "Rescue Me" returns for a new season at 10 p.m. April 7. ... USA's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "In Plain Sight" return with new episodes April 19. ... Reruns of "The Golden Girls" move to Hallmark Channel beginning March 1. ... A new season of HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher" premieres tonight at 10.

Today's TV Q&A responds to questions about "Flashpoint," "Life on Mars" and DTV, DTV, DTV. Read it online at post-gazette.com/tv.

This week's TV podcast offers a preview of a travel story running in Sunday's Post-Gazette about tours of the Universal Studios backlot and Warner Bros. Listen or subscribe at post-gazette.com/podcast.

Contact TV editor Rob Owen at rowen@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1112. Read the Tuned In Journal blog at post-gazette.com/tv.