TV Q&A: Why hasn’t a KDKA-TV anchor been on the air?

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: Where has Meghan Schiller of KDKA-TV news been? Why hasn’t she been on the air?

– Susan, Steubenville

Rob: In early May, Schiller posted about the birth of her son, Quinn Francis, who was born (5 pounds 9 ounces and 18 inches long) a month early and spent two weeks in the NICU before coming home.

Schiller will be back on the air at KDKA in late September or early October.

Q: Stephanie Allison has been freelancing on WPXI for a long time. Considering that WPXI has the smallest weather team (three meteorologists at WPXI vs. five at WTAE vs. five at KDKA), why would they not promote her to full-time status? I may not understand the freelancer role in TV news, but it seems like that would be the easiest way to go since she already knows the crew and the viewers know her.

– David via email

Rob: My understanding is ever since Cox Enterprises, which owns WPXI-TV, sold a majority stake of its media division to the Apollo Global Management hedge fund in 2019, there’s been a fiscal belt-tightening that may explain why the station has opted not to fill the position with a staffer.

Allison’s Twitter bio still describes her as a freelancer. WPXI news director Scott Trabandt did not respond to David’s question when I asked Trabandt about plans for the WPXI weather department.

Q: Are the 4:30 a.m. local TV newscasts measured?

– Jim, Brookville

Rob: Every time period is measured in the Nielsen ratings. I don’t include 4:30 a.m. in the sweeps month ratings chart because of space constraints and because the HUT (homes using television) levels are low at that hour.

But because Jim asked, here’s how the local newscasts stacked up at 4:30 a.m. weekdays during May sweeps in households: WTAE was No. 1 with a 1.8 rating and a 14 share with WPXI second (1.2/10) and KDKA third (0.9/7).

In the key demo of adult viewers ages 25-54, WPXI was No. 1 (0.7/11), WTAE was second (0.6/10), KDKA was third (0.3/5).

Q: I recall seeing ads and previews of an “Interview With a Vampire” series coming somewhere (AMC maybe?) but did not see it listed in your recent article about upcoming summer shows. Would you have any info on if it is still scheduled and when and where?

– Bill, via email

Rob: AMC is indeed the linear network and I’m hearing the show will arrive in the fall.

Q: Has ABC scheduled “To Tell the Truth” for their summer schedule?

– Mike, Beaver

Rob: No, the most recent season just ended in late April and the show is not part of ABC’s announced summer schedule.

It appears “To Tell the Truth” has not yet been renewed for additional episodes. An ABC publicist declined to comment or offer any guidance on if or when the show might be back. If it is renewed, it won’t be back this summer but sometime during the 2022-23 TV season.