This week's TV Q&A includes questions about "Prison Break," "Everwood" and Steelers coverage overkill.
As always, thanks for reading, and keep those questions coming.
Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor
Q: This is another"not a question, but a rant" submission. I know you're not a fan of sponsorships in newscasts. Honestly, they usually don't bother me ... for example, a sponsored snow report. But I think WTAE crossed the line. On Jan. 25, I was watching the 11 p.m. news. Michelle Wright starts a story and mentions the Trib. I was half paying attention, but she said something about a large number of bridges in the area have poor ratings ... worse ratings than the bridge that collapsed in Washington County not too long ago. She continues to say something along the lines of "what are officials doing about it?" And then the jaw dropper: "Read the story in tomorrow's Trib." End of segment. WHAT??? I watch the news to, oh I don't know, GET THE NEWS. Not be teased with a story that will be in tomorrow's paper. I don't know if they've been doing this long, but that is just not right.
-- Mike, Forest Hills
Newspaper-TV station partnerships are nothing new. The Post-Gazette has one with KDKA and during its 4 and 11 p.m. newscasts, the station teases stories in the next day's newspaper. It's not a practice I'm wild about, for myriad reasons, but it doesn't look like it will go away anytime soon.
Q:Will "Reno 911" come back as a series or are they concentrating on the movie?
-- Mel, Pittsburgh
"Reno 911!" will return for a fourth season on Comedy Central sometime this summer. No word on when the "Reno" movie will be in theaters, but it will likely be after the fourth season of the series airs.
Q:Did you get any news or previews during the press tour regarding the new FX series "Thief"? I thought Andre Braugher was very good when he did "Homicide" and look forward to seeing him back on TV.
-- Philip, Wheeling, W.Va.
I'm a big Braugher fan, too, and I have seen the pilot of "Thief." I thought it was decent, but not on the level of "The Shield." But hopefully I'll get a better sense of the series after seeing episodes beyond the pilot, which premieres March 28.
Q:I've enjoyed "Prison Break" immensely and can't wait for its return in March. Do you know if Fox is planning to air any reruns before it comes back on the air for those who missed the fall season?
-- Daniel, Pittsburgh
Fox has scheduled a repeat of the final "Prison Break" episode that aired last year for March 13. There's the possibility of a marathon on FX, but that's not yet set in stone.
Q:Whatever happened to the WB show "Everwood"? It was a favorite of mine.
-- Kathy, Carmel, Calif.
It returns to Monday at 9 p.m. beginning March 20.
Q:Since UPN and WB are going to merge, is there any possibility that WCWB can become another "shopping network?" Here on Adelphia we only already have three or four and F.Y.I., with three or four more coming on at night. This isn't enough and for what I pay for cable, less regular programming and more "shopping channels" is what is needed! Can we get more?
-- Mike, West Mifflin
LOL, I have to assume Mike is putting us on. Who in his right mind would want another home shopping channel?
Q:I don't always catch morning television, but what happened to Tony Perkins, the weather guy on "Good Morning America"?
-- Jessica, Verona
He returned to doing weather on a local station in Washington, D.C., where his family remained during the entire duration of his "GMA" stint.
Q:"The Book of Daniel" suddenly disappeared with just a brief sentence a week later that it had been canceled. I've looked each day for some explanation but found nothing. Did the advertisers and/or the network cave to the demands/complaints of certain groups who were offended by the show?
If you know of any reason(s), I would like to know.
-- Jane, Pittsburgh
I'm sure the protests didn't help the show had very little paid advertising in its final broadcast but the reality is the ratings were terrible. If the ratings had been great, "Daniel" would have stayed on the air.
Q:I was wondering where Marcie Cipriani has been. Did she quit at WTAE, and, if so, who will replace her at 'TAE in the early morning?
-- Joe, Greenfield
According to WTAE news director Bob Longo, Cipriani recently gave birth to a baby girl. She'll be back in a couple of weeks.
Q:Has WNPA quit running "Stargate Atlantis" permanently, or is it just being pre-empted lately?
-- John, Green Tree
According to KDKA's programming director, it was pre-empted or moved due to special Steelers programming. It returns to its regular time this weekend at 9 p.m. Saturday.
Q:I was watching WTAE's 5 p.m. newscast on Feb. 1. Gus Rosendale was supposed to do a story about some questionable photos of Big Ben at a party and wearing a T-shirt about drinking. They never showed the story. I am guessing that a Steelers PR person called the station and had it pulled. Do you know anything about it?
-- Jaime, Latrobe
I was out of town last week, so this was news to me.
"This is no doubt in response to pictures that first appeared on deadspin.com," said WTAE news director Bob Longo. We found both the original pictures post (http://deadspin.com/sports/nfl/its-good-to-be-big-ben-151809.php) and the story on WTAE pulling its story about the pics (http://www.deadspin.com/sports/nfl/tracking-the-roethlisberger-pictures-152608.php).
"We checked the pictures out for legitimacy and started working a story that would touch on the pictures, their content and the message they evoked," Longo said. "I was personally involved in the editorial process regarding this story and as we worked through it, I decided without any outside pressure that the story just didn't match our high standards ... through no fault of reporter Gus Rosendale. It was just the material at hand."
Having looked at the pics myself, I'd agree they aren't really newsworthy. Roethlisberger looks plastered, but isn't that the way many twentysomething guys look when they party?
Q:Patrice King Brown had a two-week vacation in January before February sweeps. She broadcast from Detroit the week prior to the Super Bowl and has not returned to KDKA since. Is she ill or on vacation? I know that the high-profile broadcasters usually do not have time off during the "sweeps" period.
-- Elaine, Mt. Lebanon
According to news director John Verrilli, Brown came down with the flu while covering the Steelers in Detroit and had to fly home on Saturday. She's expected back on the air soon.
COMMENTS: Steelers overkill edition
"Act like you've been there before!"
This is a famous quote by Chuck Noll when talking about touchdown celebrations. I think the three major TV stations should heed these same words.
We have been there before, this is our sixth trip to the Super Bowl. After we defeated each team in the playoffs, TV crews were dispatched to the next scheduled opponent. And lastly to both Seattle and Detroit.
The three major stations have more news personnel in Detroit than at the home station. Channel 4 pictured their news caravan driving their fleet to Detroit.
Channel 2 proudly announced it was allowed to ride the airplane with the Steelers. Channel 11 delayed "The Tonight Show" 15 minutes to allow extra Steelers time.
I don't think there was a new or different news slant in any of defeated cities nor Seattle and now Detroit.
Do not get me wrong, I have been an avid Steelers fan since 1948 and root very hard each Steelers Sunday. I become excited each game but only for the length of the game. I love sports but there more important things going on in the world.
Enough is enough. These stations have nothing new to offer and often relegate important stories to second or third place. Many times real or imagined impending bad weather is second.
-- Alan, Pittsburgh
I don't know if the other stations are doing this, but why has WTAE ditched its news coverage in favor of EVERYTHING Steelers? One night last week, the 11 p.m. newscast had two non-Steeler stories. One was about the State of the Union address and the other concerning the child who drowned at the birthday party. Isn't there anything else going on in this city? I thought the "news comes first" there.
-- Sara, Pittsburgh
Why did WTAE let reporter Michelle Wright interview Steelers kicker Jeff Reed during the rally at Heinz Field? This was unreal, Rob. After asking him some silly questions about playing in the Super Bowl, she looked at him and said, "Our sources in Detroit tell us it's been very windy there the past few days, will this be a factor in your kicking?" The look on Reed's face was priceless, he chuckled and said, "Since we're playing in a dome stadium, I don't think it matters." That incident reinforced my opinion of Wright as one of the worst news anchors in the area.
-- Ron, New Sewickley Twp.
I don't really have a question but just to comment on Channel 4's poor preparation for coverage of the Steelers. First, one anchor asked Jeff Reed how the wind will affect his kicking at the Super Bowl not knowing that the game would be played in a dome, and, secondly, during the welcome home parade, another reporter mistakenly identified Randle El as Willie Parker and really embarrassed himself.
-- Doris, North Huntingdon
Enough is Enough!!! I love the Steelers but what happened to the local news? On Jan. 30 there were helicopters circling Brighton Heights because of a suspicious [package] left between Termon and Benton avenues. The road was closed.
It took until 5:45 p.m. until Channel 11 broke in with "breaking news."
How many reporters does it take to cover the Super Bowl? Obviously, tooooo many.
-- Mary, Brighton Heights
First Published: February 10, 2006, 5:00 a.m.
