TV Talk: Local stations set holiday programming

While locally produced holiday season specials have declined over the years, some favorites remain, including:

“WTAE Project Bundle-Up Telethon” (Dec. 3): Channel 4 and the Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division launch their 36th year of community service to area children and seniors in need. The Project Bundle-Up telethon, hosted by WTAE chief meteorologist Mike Harvey, will again air as cut-ins during regularly-scheduled programming from 5 a.m.-8 p.m.

“Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund” (7-8 p.m. Dec. 16, KDKA-TV): Channel 2’s fundraiser is now in its 68th year.

“First Night Pittsburgh” (11 p.m.-12:05 a.m. Dec. 31, KDKA-TV): “Pittsburgh Today Live” hosts Heather Abraham and David Highfield ring in the new year from Downtown Pittsburgh.

WPXI-TV doesn’t offer any new, locally originated programs, but in addition to NBC’s Christmas programming, Channel 11 will air these syndicated specials on Christmas day: “An American Christmas with PJ Rasmussen and the Boardwalk Jazz Band” (1 a.m.), “Stellar Tribute to the Holidays” (2 a.m.), “Christmas Liturgical” (5 a.m.), “A Country Fix Christmas Celebration” (8:30 a.m.) and Trafford native “Mark Milovats’ Christmas Wonderland Special” (9-10 a.m.).

WQED-TV won’t televise any new programs this year, but the PBS station will feature some local programs from years’ past, including “A Christmas Cookie Story” (12 p.m. Dec. 12), “It’s Pittsburgh and a Lot of Other Stuff: Gingerbread Lane” (12:30 p.m. Dec. 12), “It’s Pittsburgh and a Lot of Other Stuff: I Think Santa Will Like This Sleigh” (1 p.m. Dec. 12), “WQED Holiday Sessions” (1:30 p.m. Dec. 12), “Happy Holidays in Pittsburgh” (2 p.m. Dec. 12), “The B.E. Taylor Christmas Concert” (10 p.m. Dec. 20, 8 p.m. Dec. 23, 1 p.m. Dec. 26), “WQED Presents: Live from Studio A Holiday Jam 2007” (2 p.m. Dec. 26), “WQED Holiday Sessions 2020” (7:30 p.m. Dec. 27) and “Live from Studio A: A Holiday Jam 2005” (8 p.m. Dec. 30).

Finally, the new animated PBS Kids series “Alma’s Way,” from Pittsburgh-based Fred Rogers Productions, celebrates two important holidays for some Latino families, Nochebuena and Three Kings Day, in an episode airing at 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Dec. 13 on WQED-TV.