TV Q&A: Will KDKA-TV’s Erica Mokay be back at the anchor desk?
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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: I would like to know what will happen to Erica Mokay since Lindsay Ward is back from maternity leave on KDKA-TV’s morning newscasts. Erica Mokay is very talented and I hope she doesn’t disappear from the anchor desk.
— Nancy, Greensburg
Rob: I reported when Mokay was hired that her regular duties, in addition to reporting, would include fill-in anchoring. Viewers have not seen the last of Mokay at the anchor desk.
Q: What is the purpose of the moving dot in the yellow station ID box graphic in the lower left corner under “CBS News Pittsburgh” during KDKA-TV newscasts? I cant imagine any need for it.
— Bob, via email
Rob: I asked KDKA-TV news director Shawn Hoder Bob’s question and didn’t get a response.
Graphics are always designed to keep viewers watching so perhaps the thinking is that some viewers might follow the circle and be less likely to change the channel? Maybe?
Another theory from an in-the-know TV producer who points out the bug with motion is also seen on all the other CBS-owned TV stations nationwide (so it’s not a local, KDKA choice): The moving graphic may be an attempt to make the streaming service version of CBS News Pittsburgh seem active and current, whether what’s being shown is live or taped.
Q: I cannot find out if the 2023 Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame induction ceremony is going to be televised. Do you know if it is going to be televised and on what channel and what time?
— Karen, via email
Rob: Per the Pirates, the Aug. 26 ceremony will not be televised live but AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh will record the ceremony and air it as part of an “Inside Pirates Baseball” special after the 8:10 p.m. game and post-game show on Aug. 30 (approximately 11:30 p.m., per the AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh TV schedule).
Q: It looks like our friends at WQED-TV are having technical problems again. Aug. 14’s “PBS NewsHour” at 6 p.m. was pre-empted for an episode of “Antiques Roadshow” (with frequent video dropouts to a black screen). Then at 6:15 it abruptly switched to “BBC World News America,” which ran until 6:40 when it was back to “Antiques Roadshow,” already in progress. And that ran until its completion at 7 p.m. Hopefully this was just a one-time glitch.
— Mark, via email
Rob: Looks like it was more technical difficulties with the automated master control, which is why “Antiques Roadshow” aired instead of the scheduled “PBS NewsHour.”
However, I’m told the dropouts to a black screen were caused by storms disrupting satellite reception. The abrupt switch to “BBC World News America” was made in order to run something other than black until the worst rain passed.
“PBS NewsHour” ran in its entirety at 7 p.m. although Mark says it was audio-only with a black screen (only the WQED logo visible at the bottom-right corner), which I assume was more satellite reception disruption.
Q: Could you please tell me if the character, Lucille (Leonie Elliott), is returning to “Call the Midwife” on PBS? She is such an endearing character.
— Elaine, Mt. Lebanon
Rob: Actress Leonie Elliott tweeted in February that she is indeed done with the series with no plans to return.