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: Just reading your articles about the new reporters at KDKA, and I’ve been wondering for a while now with all the new reporters coming to town either with KDKA, or others (seems to be a lot of new faces on the airwaves lately), why were Susan Koeppen and/or Rick Dayton not rehired? KDKA certainly seems to have room as they are adding.

I know you said it was a corporate move, I believe, but why then are they still hiring people? Did others leave that they are replacing? Just a bit confused here.

— Bill via email

Rob: In TV news, layoffs are almost never temporary. It’s not like at a factory where there may be layoffs and then later workers are rehired. In TV news, layoffs are used as a permanent way to cut costs. I suspect the particular layoffs Bill mentions were made at least in part to remove large salaries from the balance sheet and then later replace them with people who have smaller salaries.

So far the station has not hired for either of these particular positions although there are people doing those jobs in some capacity. The KDKA hires I reported on were all for lower-paying positions. In addition, Dayton has a new job on KDKA-AM radio.

Q: Ion Plus on Channel 16.3 is gone and what took its place, Bounce and CourtTV, are also available on Channel 40’s digital subchannels and have been for a long time. Can you have duplicate networks in the same area? I don’t think they should be able to get away with it.

— Anonymous via voicemail

Rob: There is nothing illegal or against any government rules about having two of the same digital subchannels on two different stations in the same TV market.

I suspect Scripps, the owner of Bounce and CourtTV, signed a contract for WPCB-TV, Channel 40, to carry those networks on Channel 40’s digital subchannels years ago, long before Scripps bought WINP-TV, Channel 16, earlier this year and added Bounce and CourtTV as Channel 16.2 and Channel 16.3.

In time it seems likely Bounce and Court TV will come off Channel 40’s digital subchannel lineup or they will get replaced by other Scripps networks on Channel 16’s digital subchannels. Either way, Scripps killed Ion Plus nationwide so it no longer exists and will not return.

Q: My question pertains to KDKA weather broadcasts. I sent them these questions and haven’t heard back from them yet.

When they show the live video feed of Pittsburgh while talking about the weather are the cameras out of focus, in need of cleaning or is it shot with an older, lower-quality camera? The picture quality is noticeably worse than any other video in the newscast. How come?

— Mark via email

Rob: My understanding is most of these stationary cameras — on Mt. Washington, at Heinz Field — are run through the internet and sometimes slow internet speeds result in picture degradation. Since these cameras are not operated by a person, it’s also conceivable the lens can get dirty.

Q: My husband and I really enjoy Fox’s “Name That Tune.” Randy Jackson and Jane Krakowski are both very good and the band does an awesome job with all of the different genres of music.

Will it be back for another season?

— Sherry, Murrysville

Rob: “Name That Tune” ratings were a mixed bag making it hard to speculate. I could see it going either way but with another night to fill (with the NFL leaving Fox on Thursday night), that probably helps the show’s odds. Fox has not announced a decision but might before the upfronts in May.

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