TV Q&A: Why aren’t guests in the studio on ‘Nightly Sports Call’?

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: On KDKA+’s “Nightly Sports Call,” why aren’t the guests in the Fan Cave with the TV host? The Fan Cave was remodeled in the beginning of 2020 and since covid-19 they haven’t returned to the studio with the TV host.

— William, via Facebook

Rob: Per KDKA-TV news director Shawn Hoder, “Around that same time we also created the ‘Fan Cam’ at 93.7 and, as luck would have it, that allowed us to keep using outside guests during covid. After covid ended, we liked the look and feel of that shot and simply decided to keep it in place.”

This is similar to how KDKA did not bring contestants back to the studio for its high school quiz show, currently titled “KD Quiz.” It’s just easier for folks to appear remotely.

Q: Now that the Pens are firmly secured on the new SportsNet Pittsburgh, is there any word on the Pirates TV fate for 2024? Will it also be SportsNet Pittsburgh or do you think they relinquish their rights to MLB, who would then oversee their productions in a non-traditional format? Would like to have the Buccos on a standard cable carrier as opposed to a hybrid of streamers, apps, and over-the-air stations.

— Dom, Franklin Park

Rob: Nothing has been announced and possibly nothing has been decided. It’s still four months until the March 28, 2024, first Pirates game, so there’s a lot of time for a deal to be worked out.

It appears there are just two options: Either go with SportsNet Pittsburgh, which seems to be the cleanest, easiest route for fans as it maintains the status quo, although the Pirates would surely take in less money from that deal than when it was AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. But the other option will also result in less income: The Pirates can sell their TV rights to the MLB, which would then figure out where to broadcast/stream the games, but with MLB taking 20% off the top.

Regardless, the existing hodge-podge, with a few games on Peacock and Apple TV+, seems likely to continue.

Q: Do they measure ratings from me watching DVRed shows on Verizon’s FiOS TV?

— Frank, via email

Rob: Nielsen can measure DVR viewing. But unless you are part of the Nielsen panel – and you’d know if you were because Nielsen would have been in touch – your viewing is not directly measured in Nielsen ratings.

Q: Does any network program Saturday nights anymore? Or is it just for reruns?

-David via Facebook

Rob: It’s been just scripted reruns on broadcast TV Saturday nights for almost two decades. CBS was the last to program original scripted fare on Saturdays but that ended with the conclusion of “The District” in 2004.