TV Q&A: Do laid off KDKA-TV anchors have to abide by a non-compete?

Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review.

Q: Since anchors Rick Dayton and Susan Koeppen were laid off and did not voluntarily leave KDKA-TV, can they be held to a no-compete clause?

-Bob, Mt. Lebanon

Rob: Although contracts are individual, my sense was that elements like a non-compete only work to the benefit of the station. That was the way it was when KDKA-TV fired Jeff Verszyla in December 2018: He had a non-compete that stretched to January 2020.

But a new SAG-AFTRA contract that covers KDKA-TV on-air talent provides that employees terminated without cause, including Dayton and Koeppen, are no longer held to a non-compete. Dayton and Koeppen are free to work at another Pittsburgh TV station immediately.

Q: I’ve noticed that since the beginning of August none of the Pittsburgh news stations have their news anchors, meteorologists or sports anchors cutting reports from their homes/remote locations anymore, although they still physically distance while in the studios together. Not that I’m complaining, but I was just wondering why this seemingly happened with all three stations at roughly the same time?

-Tyler via email

Rob: My sense is once Allegheny County entered the green phase, local stations began bringing more on-air staff back into the studio while following covid-19 safety protocols.

WPXI news director Scott Trabandt said there was no coordinated effort among Pittsburgh TV stations for returning to work.

“I don’t think at the beginning of August our folks all came back,” Trabandt said of WPXI’s news team. “It has been staggered. Since Allegheny County went green we have monitored the situation and the travel restrictions put in place by the county and the state factored into when people are working in the station or working from home. We’re sticking to guidance from the health experts and whether it’s inside WPXI or in the field we want to make sure we are keeping our folks safe and keeping the community safe in doing our jobs.”

Q: When disputes between carriers such as DISH and stations like WPXI-TV occur, can DISH switch local stations from WPXI to, say, the Johnstown or Youngstown NBC affiliate until a settlement happens? This Apollo Global Management (WPXI’s private equity firm owner) vs. Dish disagreement is lasting much too long!

-Mike, Beaver

Rob: WPXI has been off DISH since late July and unfortunately DISH picking up another NBC station is not an option as it’s generally prohibited in an effort to support the concept of localism among local broadcast channels.

Mike’s options include switching to another pay TV provider, cutting the cord and trying an antenna for free over-the-air reception of Channel 11’s signal (sometimes dicey given Western Pennsylvania’s hilly terrain) or accessing WPXI’s programming through a streaming service like YouTube TV.

Q: Do you know the future of “Kingdom” on Netflix?

-Crystal via email

Rob: So here’s the thing: “Kingdom” is not a Netflix original. The show was televised originally on DirecTV’s now-shuttered Audience Network from 2014-17. Netflix began airing “Kingdom” in July. Since then some of the show’s cast members have expressed an interest in seeing Netflix pick up a fourth season of “Kingdom” but so far that’s just a dream.

Ask TV questions by e-mailing rowen@TribLive.com . Please include your first name and location.