What is relationship between Steelers, KDKA?
Q: Does KDKA-TV have some kind of exclusive relationship with the Pittsburgh Steelers organization to air so many Steelers-related shows, e.g., “The Mike Tomlin Show,” “Steelers Weekly” (on sister station Pittsburgh CW), etc.? I’ve noticed on the call-in show, “The Nightly Sports Call,” they seem to be hesitant to heavily criticize the Steelers organization too much when the fans do, and I figure it’s because of this relationship.
— JOE, VIA EMAIL Rob: Yes, KDKA-TV is the official Steelers station because of the CBS-AFC relationship.
“Ancillary Steelers programming is part of our exclusive preseason partnership,” said KDKA general manager Chris Cotugno. “We work with the Steelers to develop those programs.”
Q: When ABC’s “GMA3: Strahan, Sara and Keke” show opens each segment, Michael Strahan shakes the same male’s hand every day who sits in the front row. Who is the gentleman and for what purpose?
— DONALD, WAYNESBURG Rob: My understanding is the man is part of the show’s security team.
Q: The Jane Austen series “Sanditon,” made by ITV in the U.K., was canceled before it began airing here on PBS this month. There is a great fan campaign going on to encourage some network to take it over or convince PBS to finish the series and deliver the happy ending. Is there any hope of that? — LINDA, VIA EMAIL Rob: Doesn’t sound like it.
I asked “Masterpiece” executive producer Susanne Simpson about the future of “Sanditon” after a PBS press conference during the Television Critics Association winter 2020 press tour in Pasadena, Calif., last month.
“We don’t have any plans to be able to bring a second season of ‘Sanditon,’ and I wish I could say we did,” Simpson said. “Because our partners are U.K. broadcasters, like BBC and ITV, that partnership is really important. And if a show doesn’t work for them in the U.K., it’s hard for them to recommission something that just isn’t working.”
“Sanditon” is currently airing on PBS’s “Masterpiece” (9 p.m. Sunday).
Q: My husband and I watch “Frankie Drake Mysteries.” The first two seasons were on Ovation Channel, but we watched it On Demand on Comcast. Season three has aired, but it has not shown up On Demand yet. Do you know if On Demand is going to carry season three?
— NANCY, GREENSBURG Rob: Per Ovation, season three has not aired in the U.S. yet. It will premiere in April. Presumably it will be available on demand af- ter its linear TV debut.
Q: Do celebrities get paid to attend award shows like the Golden Globes and Oscars? If so, do they get paid extra if they win and give a speech?
— TED, SCOTT Rob: It may be part of their contract that actors will attend awards shows if nominated, but they do not generally get paid extra to attend or if they win an award. However, after win- ning an award an actor will often get paid more for his or her next project.