TV Q&A: Stations darned if they do, darned if they don’t interrupt programming

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

Q: Horrible news out of Clairton on Aug. 11 with the explosion at the coke works. Think Channel 2 and Channel 11 know it happened? God forbid even a crawl takes away from “Beauty Buzz” and “Judy Justice.” Here’s what I don’t get: KDKA has a plus channel, WPKD, and streams CBS News Pittsburgh. WPXI has PCNC. All of these were dark when I tuned in a little after 3 p.m. And as I pointed out, not even a crawl. This story is leading “NBC Nightly News” in a few. Huge story.

— @CantankerousRex, via Twitter

Rob: When it comes to interrupting, stations are darned if they do (see next question) and darned if they don’t (see question above).

I asked the news directors of KDKA and WPXI about using a secondary channel for continuing coverage and they did not respond. But CantankerousRex makes a good point that with those low-rated alternative channels available, it offers a place for continuing coverage without upsetting as many viewers of regularly scheduled programming on the stations’ main channels. So if they’re not using those alt channels, why not? My assumption is always: Resources (e.g. money). If it doesn’t make financial sense, they won’t do it.

Q: Why does WTAE have such disregard and disrespect for its daytime TV patrons? They frequently interrupt the schedule to report on things that can easily wait until the 4 p.m. newscast. Then, when something that is breaking and can’t wait until then happens, such as the recent explosion at the Clairton plant, they carry on for hours on end when there are no updates, repeating things they have already reported on. In the case of the Clairton plant explosion, KDKA and WPXI ended their coverage after one to two hours when it became apparent updates would not happen anytime soon. But WTAE continued to regurgitate the same items over and over again for hours on end.

— Jon, via email

Rob: See what I mean? Darned if they do, darned if they don’t.

Complaints like Jon’s most often arrive in my inbox when local stations interrupt regularly scheduled programming for severe weather reports. It often seems, based on the emails I receive, that if a viewer looks out their window and sees no evidence of severe weather, then it’s not news to them and they get indignant at having their regular show interrupted.

It’s a tricky position for TV stations, of course. Our local stations cover a wide swath of geographic territory and what’s news in one area may not affect another part of the region, especially when it comes to weather. One option to try to satiate all constituencies: Break in for a brief report, then go back to regular programming, but continue to run a crawl as long as needed.

WTAE’s news director did not respond to a request for comment.

Q: After reading the Aug. 13 edition of the Trib, I am left wondering about the vacancy at WTAE for Westmoreland County filled by Ed DiOrio.

What happened to Ava Rash holding that position? I seem to remember that at her hiring, WTAE named her Westmoreland reporter and there were even billboards and commercials with her and Kelly Sasso (who is from Westmoreland County) “introducing” Rash as such. I have noticed Ava is on nearly every morning now, reporting on the breaking news story of the day, and that has taken her all over Western Pa. When did things change?

— John, Greensburg

Rob: It’s just the usual TV news domino effect.

In late 2024, after weekend morning anchor Tom Garris exited WTAE for a job at WMUR-TV in Manchester, N.H., WTAE’s Lily Coleman got promoted to the weekend morning news anchor slot. Channel 4 filled Coleman’s weekday position by moving Ava Rash to weekday mornings, leaving the Westmoreland job empty until DiOrio arrived to fill the position earlier this month.

In the hierarchy of local TV station priorities, the competitive morning news block is of greater importance than a bureau reporter, with the station relying on a videographer to do quasi-double duty in the interim.

From the employees’ perspective, anchor jobs are usually seen as more prestigious than reporter jobs. And reporting mornings on breaking news is typically seen as a step up from a bureau role.