TV Q&A with Rob Owen
Post-Gazette TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions online every Friday in Tuned In Journal blog at post-gazette.com/tv. Here’s a selection of recent queries.
Q: What specifically is Sam Hall's job at WTAE? Is he employed by the station or a traffic service?
— DAVE, GREENSBURG
Rob: Turns out, Hall is in the employ of both WTAE-TV and the helicopter company. He’s paid by WTAE when he’s in the studio giving traffic reports. He is paid by the helicopter company when he is in the chopper.
Q: Could you tell me why the stations flash the name of a person they are interviewing for a split second. You blink and the name is gone. Would it be possible to leave the name up while the person is on the screen? The national news shows do the same thing. If you walk into the room while someone is speaking you do not know who it is.
— SUE, OAKMONT
Rob: In my experience, generally the lower-third IDs are on screen long enough for me to read them. I don’t think any station is intentionally trying to make those graphics difficult to read.
Q: Can you tell me if “Child Support” is coming back?
— DONNA VIA EMAIL
Rob: It’s not. ABC canceled the show.
Q: I recently saw where the Hallmark Channel is going to run Christmas movies every Friday night. Do the Hallmark Christmas movies do that well in the ratings or does Hallmark have nothing else to put on their channel. Christmas movies every weekend seems excessive, if you ask me, even though some people like them.
— MARILYN, CECIL
Rob: Hallmark’s Christmas movies do very well in the ratings which is why Lifetime, Freeform and now Netflix have copied them and are doing multiple Christmas movies of their own each holiday season.
As for Friday night Christmas movies outside the holiday season, that hasn’t been announced yet but I’ll be at a Hallmark party Saturday night and plan to write up what I learn. Check post-gazette.com/tv for my coverage Sunday morning.
Q: If and when will “The Conners” return to television?
— FLO, SHALER
Rob: The show has aired all the episodes in its first season. It was renewed for a second season and will be back in the fall.
Q: When did “Cold Justice” start airing on the Oxygen Channel? Last I heard, TNT canceled it because they got sued.
— DARRIN VIA EMAIL
Rob: We reported Oxygen would revive “Cold Justice” in February 2017, and I believe new episodes began on Oxygen around the time the network switched its branding to true crime in July or August 2017.
Q: I received a notification that season four of “Grantchester” was available for viewing beginning 1/11. Any idea if it will be broadcast on Pittsburgh’s PBS station in 2019?
— LORI, MOUNT LEBANON
Rob: Yes, “Grantchester” will be back on PBS at 9 p.m. July 14.
Ask TV questions by emailing rowen@post-gazette.com, including your first name and location, or submitting the form at post-gazette.com/tv.
First Published: May 30, 2019, 11:00 a.m.
