TV Talk: Former Steeler Ryan Clark hosts CW’s ‘Inside the NFL;’ Channel 19 adds 8 p.m. local newscast

Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark will host The CW’s “Inside the NFL,” debuting at 8 p.m. Sept. 5 on Pittsburgh’s WPNT-TV, Channel 22, which will become a CW affiliate Friday.

Clark will be joined by Channing Crowder, Jay Cutler, Chad Johnson and Chris Long as they “break down previously unseen highlights and exclusive NFL Films with mic’d up sounds from the week’s most exciting matchups,” per The CW.

“Inside the NFL,” entering is 47th year, previously streamed on Paramount+ from 2021-23 and before that aired on Showtime (2008-2021) and HBO (1977-08).

Clark, who played for the Steelers from 2006 to 2013, played in the NFL for 13 seasons that included a Super Bowl XLIII title and two AFC championships. Clark also is an analyst on ESPN’s “Monday night Countdown” and appears on ESPN’s “NFL Live,” “First Take,” “Get Up” and “SportsCenter.” In January 2022, he launched “The Pivot Podcast,” and he won a Sports Emmy in May for outstanding personality/studio analyst.

KDKA adds more news

CBS, corporate owner of Channel 2 and Channel 19, announced that Channel 19, which will get new call letters (WPKD-TV) and use the KDKA+ moniker beginning Friday, will add an 8 p.m. one-hour newscast this fall. Until then, reruns of “Family Feud” will air 8-9 p.m.

KDKA/WPKD general manager Chris Cotugno said anchors for the 8 p.m. newscast on Channel 19, and a premiere date for the broadcast, still are to be determined, but a November start date might be likely.

‘Rustin’ to Telluride, Toronto

Netflix’s filmed-in-Pittsburgh movie “Rustin,” about gay civil rights leader Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo), will have its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, Aug. 31-Sept. 4 in Telluride, Colo.

And Domingo will be feted at the Toronto International Film Festival Tribute Awards Gala on Sept. 10, where “Rustin” will also screen, although, because of the actors’ strike, Domingo won’t promote “Rustin.”

Kept/canceled

Netflix renewed “The Lincoln Lawyer” for a third season.

Disney+ canceled “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.,” created by University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University grad Kourtney Kang, after two seasons.

Hulu canceled “The Great” after three seasons.

HBO canceled its critically reviled drama “The Idol” after a single season.

Channel surfing

In an effort to right its cable news channel, Warner Bros. Discovery named former New York Times CEO Mark Thomson as CNN’s new chairman and CEO following the ouster earlier this year of Chris Licht. … Kristen Welker begins her new role as moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sept. 17.