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: Any perspective on the WTAE-TV anchor changes? Were their 11 p.m. numbers that bad? - Sally, via Facebook Rob: My first thought was less about 11 p.m. - given the lead-in from ABC, there’s only so much the station can do at 11 - and more about shoring up the morning ratings. Before Kelly Frey’s departure, WTAE had started to see erosion if you look at some of the ways you can slice and dice the Nielsen ratings. But, yes, the ratings were not great for WTAE generally in the November 2021 Nielsen ratings. My second thought: Wow, three anchors in the morning (Michelle Wright, Janelle Hall, Ryan Recker) - plus a traffic reporter and a meteorologist — seems like too many cooks in the kitchen. They’ll need a bigger anchor desk when this reconfiguration kicks off on March 7! (Or maybe someone will be forever standing at the video wall for reasons other than covid-necessitated physical distancing.) Is the station prepared to stick with three morning anchors over the long haul, or at some point will that number reduce to two - and then who is the odd man or woman out? But I think this may not be a squeeze play, because WPXI has had three morning anchors since Jennifer Tomazic joined the morning anchor team to be the breaking news desk anchor in fall 2019. In addition, WTAE’s Hearst sister-station, WCVB-TV in Boston, had three morning anchors until one of them retired in May 2020. The three-anchor format also mirrors ABC’s "Good Morning America” (Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, George Stephanopoulos), which follows Channel 4’s morning news. As for the personalities involved in Channel 4’s morning changes, adding Hall to the mix was the biggest surprise. Hall, who currently anchors at 6 and 11, said she requested the change to better balance her work and family life. When Hall moves to mornings, Kelly Sasso will slide into the 6 p.m. anchor chair. As for 11 p.m., in 24 years of watching anchor realignments in Pittsburgh, I don’t ever recall one where the station hung out a "help wanted” sign as WTAE has done, with general manager Charles Wolfertz III saying in a prepared statement: "At WTAE, we are blessed with talented people inside the station, as well as across Hearst Television along with any others who might be interested in joining WTAE and the Hearst Television family.” It’s most surprising that 5 p.m. co-anchor Shannon Perrine doesn’t add the 11 p.m. newscast to her workday. I left messages for Perrine and news director Jim Parsons, but they did not respond. Then there’s also the consideration that evening and especially late-night newscasts are less necessary in the internet era where viewers can call up news with a few computer clicks. As for adding Chandi Chapman as weekend evening anchor, that just made sense since she had been filling in there for many months. Q: Will the Penguins games canceled due to the covid-19 be televised on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh? - Chuck, Sarver Rob: Yes, all the impacted games are AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh games, which have been rescheduled for Feb. 10 (7 p.m.), 15 (7 p.m.), 17 (7 p.m.), 20 (1 p.m.) and 24 (7 p.m.). Q: I see a new season of the Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) "C.B. Strike” series, titled "Troubled Blood,” is due to air in 2022. Do you know the premiere date and what channel it will be on? IMDB doesn’t have that information. - John, Green Tree Rob: No date has been announced for the U.S. broadcast, but I would imagine that, like its predecessors, it will premiere on HBO and HBO Max. As for a time frame, late 2022 or early 2023 seems likely. Season four, "Lethal White,” just premiered in late January on HBO and HBO Max. You can reach TV writer Rob Owen at rowen@triblive.com or 412-380-8559. Follow Rob on Twitter or Facebook. Ask TV questions by email or phone. Please include your first name and location. Support Local Journalism and help us continue covering the stories that matter to you and your community. Support Journalism Now >