TV Q&A: Could Jackie Cain return to a Pittsburgh TV station?

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: Former WTAE-TV news anchor Jackie Cain has left her Minneapolis station. Does she end up back in Pittsburgh? And at what station?

— Jodi via email

Rob: While Cain has physically relocated to her native Pittsburgh, she’s not currently seeking employment at any of the Pittsburgh TV stations.

“It’s not in the plans for me right now,” Cain said. “Family is my only focus at the moment.”

Q: I wonder if KDKA or WTAE will step up and keep the downtown holiday parade alive now that WPXI has bailed on it.

— Kenny via Facebook

Rob: Never say never but it seems unlikely.

While the pandemic would have made staging the parade more of a challenge than usual this year, if WPXI had found a way to make money on it, the parade would have continued. In the TV biz, it’s almost always about the bottom line.

It’s hard to imagine another station wanting to take on the large task — surely a parade is no easy feat to stage and televise — no matter how much members of the community would like to see the parade continue.

Q: “Entertainment Tonight” aired a segment on Jeff Daniels reaction to meeting Rich Fitzgerald and apparently Mr. Fitzgerald is much more impressed with Mr. Daniels than Mr. Daniels is with Mr. Fitzgerald. Also, not one mention of Pittsburgh or Allegheny County. (I wonder where “American Rust” is shot?).

The whole segment seemed dismissive of Mr. Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and Western Pa.

— Dave, Clarion

Rob: “Entertainment Tonight” is a national show that doesn’t always mention where TV shows or movies are filmed.

Also “ET” is not really journalism, more infotainment that uses sound bites. “ET,” like “American Rust” network Showtime, is owned by ViacomCBS and if not for the corporate synergy and excuse to promote a show of their own, odds are this lookalike situation would not have been covered at all since it means nothing to anyone outside of Western Pa.

I talked to Daniels about that meeting and I got no sense that Daniels was dismissive.