TV Q&A: Local TV news can be a transitional business

Q: What is going on at WTAE?

The station has lost what I believe to be exceptional, diverse on-air talent. Chris Lovingood and David Kaplan leaving was unexpected, but Kelly Frey, really? WTAE has to know this is not a good look for them and I’m sure they’ll take a major hit during sweeps. What’s your take on this?

— Diane via email

Rob: If there is any constant in the TV news business, as in all walks of life, it’s change. Viewers would be wise to anticipate change among the faces that come into their homes via TV – nothing lasts forever – and accept it’s a reality of the business.

As noted last week, reporters have always come and gone from the Pittsburgh market, but probably more now than in the past.

It’s not unusual that Chris Lovingood and David Kaplan would move on to jobs in larger TV markets that advance their careers and probably also their financial security. It would be more unusual if they stayed in Pittsburgh for their entire careers.

The trend for incoming replacements is that stations hire younger talent (re: less expensive), professionals whose bios show them to be on their second or third jobs out of college (not their fourth or fifth jobs) like recent WTAE arrivals Tom Garris and Kalea Gunderson. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad broadcast journalists, just a little less experienced and perhaps more open to learning.

To be sure, this trend is a change. As Lynne Hayes-Freeland pointed out last week, Pittsburgh was a Top 10 TV market when she started in the business in the 1970s, a place reporters worked to get to after multiple stops rising through the market ranks. Now Pittsburgh is market No. 26, which means Western Pennsylvania is more likely to be a stepping stone, not a destination, particularly for reporters, meteorologists and weekend anchors.

In terms of anchor changes and the impact on ratings, stations often take a short-term hit when there’s an anchor team shakeup, but the order in which Pittsburgh stations stack up in the ratings in any particular time period often regresses to the mean over the longer term.

Q: Where has Kylie Walker been from WTAE? I haven’t seen her reporting in a while.

— Sherry, South Hills

Rob: Walker now reports for WTAE’s morning newscasts.

Q: What time did they move the Sunday showing of “TMZ” to? It had been on WPNT at 6 p.m. I enjoyed the pop culture references and it keeps this old man in the loop with these kids today.

— Bill, Morgantown, W.Va.

Rob: The weekend run moved to 1 a.m. Sunday on WPGH-TV. Set your DVR!

“TMZ” airs weekdays on WPNT-TV at 3:30 a.m. “TMZ Live” is on WPNT at 10 a.m. weekdays.