TV Q&A: Can local TV stations refuse politicians’ ads?

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: Can you tell me if local stations can refuse to put political ads on? I would think whichever stations refuse would get a huge bump in ratings as more people would tune in knowing there are no political ads on.

— Bill, via email

Rob: First, local TV stations love how the revenue from political ads pads their bottom line, which is far more lucrative than whatever slight ratings bump, if any, materialized from not airing political ads.

Second, the Federal Communications Commission requires that stations accept ads. Per KARE-TV, TV stations must accept ads from “any legally qualified candidate” with the commercial time sold at the lowest rate that the “station charges its most favored commercial advertisers for the same classes and amounts of time for the same periods.”

Stations do have more control over ads paid for by third-party groups, including the ability to charge higher rates, so no station is going to turn those down.

Q: Will Rania Harris (“Pittsburgh Today Live”) be doing shows from her home permanently?

– Cheryl, via Facebook

Rob: Per KDKA-TV general manager Chris Cotugno, “While she has been back at the studio a few times, the current schedule for the foreseeable future has us shooting the segments from her home.”

“As of now, this will continue to be the plan,” Harris said. “Love working with Celina!”

Q: I’m a Reba McEntire fan. She’s joining the cast of “Big Sky.” I have not watched that show. Can I jump in and start watching now or do I need to go back to the start?

— Matt via Facebook

Rob: I hadn’t watched “Big Sky” since early in season one, so I tried watching the season premiere, airing at 10 p.m. Sept. 21 on WTAE-TV. Although the episode began with a “previously on” recap, for the most part I was not confused about what was going on. The show resets its story with this episode and while there’s some understanding of character relationships that would benefit from seeing previous seasons, it’s not really necessary and definitely not relevant to the story around McEntire’s character.

Q: Please find out why KDKA-TV management, in their infinite wisdom, failed to carry Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral at 5:30 a.m. Monday and instead ran their local newscast? Was this a local decision or CBS’s choice? It’s now 6 a.m. and they were late joining the network.

– Suzi, Belle Vernon

Rob: Neither KDKA-TV general manager Chris Cotugno nor news director Shawn Hoder replied when I asked for a response to Suzi’s question. Unlike most of the other networks with news, CBS never sent a release stating its specific coverage plans – I couldn’t find one on CBS’s press site either – but it appears CBS’s royal funeral broadcast did begin at 5:30 a.m., suggesting this was a KDKA decision to pre-empt the first half-hour of CBS’s coverage.

Others were upset by CBS’s decision to bail out of coverage at 10 a.m. Monday in favor of episodes of “Let’s Make a Deal” and “The Price is Right.” (Coverage continued on the CBS News Streaming Network.)

Q: What’s Hill Harper doing now? I miss him on “How It Really Happened” on HLN.

— Kitty, Charleroi

Rob: Harper continues as one of the stars of ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” beginning a new season at 10 p.m. Oct. 3, as he has since the show premiered in 2017. “How It Really Happened” was more of a side gig.