Submit your question to Rob Owen

This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about DTV conversion, Jay Leno and the single-anchor format. As always, thanks for reading, and keep those questions coming.

-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor

Q: With the DTV switch upon us and all the current channel numbers practically going by the wayside, is there any word on how the local stations will identify themselves aside from their call letters? I know to many this will be confusing and a pain, especially for the stations who will have to change all their graphics to represent their new channel numbers and the people who will have to get use to them. It's going to be weird saying "Survivor" is on Channel 25 instead of Channel 2.

-- Ray, 33, Mt. Washington

Rob: No one will be saying that.

You'll notice in our coverage I haven't written about stations changing channel positions because as far as viewers are concerned, that won't happen. WPGH has been assigned DTV Channel 43 but it still has appeared on Channel 53 since the station shut off its analog signal in February. There's technical stuff going on behind the scenes that maps a station's new channel position to the old channel number so no one will know KDKA-DT will be broadcasting on Channel 25 because KDKA will still come in on TV sets as Channel 2 over-the-air.

---

Q: I am a big fan of "The Amazing Race." Do you know if there are any plans to film the show in high-def? I think with so many beautiful locations that the show would really benefit in high-def format.

-- Bill, 41, Pittsburgh

Rob: I agree, Bill. Unfortunately, going HD would increase the show's production cost, so there are no plans to shoot in HD at this time.

---

Q: What is your opinion on how "The Jay Leno Show" will do each night at 10 for NBC? I personally thought it was an odd choice. I could see it once a week, but not every night of the week. It'll be interesting to see how it does.

-- Linda, 45, Cecil

Rob: My view on Leno at 10 p.m. is evolving. I still hate it in terms of what it means about the cultural currency of 10 p.m. dramas in prime time, but I think Leno could do better than a lot of observers think. His appeal is broad and a lot of the shows networks have put at 10 p.m. in recent years, except on CBS, have more niche appeal. Leno's show will skew old but he may draw more viewers than anyone expects. Or not. At this point, it's anyone's guess.

NBC is getting smart about how it promotes Leno's new show over the summer (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004756.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&nid=2565), which certainly won't hurt his show's prospects come fall.

If anything, it's starting to look more like Conan O'Brien's "Tonight Show" will take a hit, already losing once this week to CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman." (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/10/AR2009061003720.html?sub=AR) But if demos are more important to NBC, then O'Brien may be fine. (http://www.tvweek.com/tvmojoe/2009/06/dave-beats-conan-panic-at-nbc.php)

---

Q: Will Kevin Eubanks and his band join Jay Leno on his new show this Fall?

-- Susan, 63, Gibsonia

Rob: I couldn't get the NBC publicist for "The Jay Leno Show" to confirm this, but plenty of reports indicate that Eubanks will journey with Jay to prime time.

---

Q: So you approve (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09065/953446-42.stm) of hundreds of crappy, pointless QVC/Spanish/China/business/Mormon channels instead of a la carte? Who you working for? Also what in your mind are the "great" niche networks? Give me tyranny or give me Netflix. You can quote me if you like.

-- Billy, 39, Butler

Rob: I'm not particularly interested in any of the types of channels mentioned in Billy's xenophobic rant. But in American society today everyone is interested in some niche channel that probably wouldn't survive in an a la carte universe, whether its a niche sports channel or a lifestyle channel. Our choices would undoubtedly diminish.

---

Q: Did TLC cancel "Little People Big World"? And are they canceling "Law & Order" because of Jay Leno?

-- Joe, 23, Greenfield

Rob: "Little People Big World" will be back with new episodes in the fall. Meanwhile, TLC is airing "The Little Couple," featuring Jen Arnold, who once worked in Pittsburgh at Mercy Hospital.

And "Law & Order" will be back in the fall (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09140/971248-67.stm), airing on Fridays.

---

Q: Will WQED be showing new episodes of "America's Test Kitchen" any time soon?

-- David, 38, Moon Township

Rob: According to program director Chris Fennimore, the next batch of 13 half-hour programs will feed to PBS stations in September and will begin to appear in WQED's Saturday cooking block sometime in mid-October.

---

Q: How come sometimes, but not always, when a local anchor goes on vacation, another anchor or even in some cases a reporter fills in at the anchor desk and sometimes the remaining anchor of a 2-person team does a solo act?

Last week, on Channel 11 morning news, Vince Sims and Danielle Nottingham both anchored Monday thru Wednesday and then it was Vince Sims and Jodine Costanzo on Thursday but on Friday it was Vince Sims alone. This also happened in their late-night newscast. Two weeks ago, Jennifer Abney subbed for Darieth Chisolm. This week, David Johnson was alone at 11 p.m. on Tuesday I believe. I don't understand why sometimes you need two anchors and at others one will suffice.

-- Ray, 38, Pittsburgh

Rob: Local stations across the country have become more likely to go with a single-anchor format, especially on the weekends, due to the economic crunch.

In the cases you cited above it's more a matter of work schedules and finding fill-ins when employees are on summer vacation. For instance, to avoid taking Nottingham off her regular weekend shift, she only worked three weekday mornings.

"The single-anchor thing has become more acceptable and we're able to use single anchors more frequently now," said Channel 11 news director Corrie Harding. "You will see more of it during the summer months because there are vacations. We're doing it a little more often and our read is folks will accept that more. It's no comment on the quality of the substitutes, we're just trying to service all the basic needs."

---

Q: What's the deal with the look of KDKA's set? Are they using a temporary set while building a new one for the HD conversion?

-- James, 21, Evans City

Rob: Yes, a new set is being constructed and is expected to debut when KDKA's newscasts begin broadcasting in HD on Tuesday.

Usually I try to do a column on a station's new set before it debuts -- as we did in recent years when WPXI and WTAE got new sets -- but KDKA's set wasn't camera ready in time. My hope is to get something on the blog (http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/tunedin/default.aspx) before Tuesday.

I take issue with your condemnation of David Caruso's acting ability. (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09156/975060-238.stm) He's head and shoulders above other TV drama leads and vastly superior to his own co-stars. Emily Procter is especially dull.

"CSI: Miami" is no showcase for talent, but no better or worse than most of the scripted shows.

-- Miki, Springfield, ?

I believe "CSI: Miami" falls into the category of it's so bad it's good. It's the "Looney Tunes" of the "CSI" franchise. It gets constant attention on E!'s "The Soup." It's self-torture. I'm sure the drinking game rules are plentiful. It IS imaginative, too much so. George Clinton should provide the musical score to make it a dramedy. I tune in on the hopes that something... never-mind, it's not gonna happen.

-- Eric, 35, Plum

"You mean you don't want my message? I just would like to know why 'CSI: Miami' is in Spanish instead of English this evening. I can't seem to find a number for KDKA to call and ask them why, and also they blank out on the news report they don't even say anything they just show up on the screen. And I don't think it's my television but something is wrong someplace, 'cause I don't understand Spanish."

-- Female caller who accidentally activated the Second Audio Program on her TV set