Q: It has been six weeks since WPXI went off the air for Verizon FiOS TV customers in Western Pa. I am beginning to think it will never come back. What about people who just moved into the area? They wont want to get Verizon because of no NBC. Why wont the parties settle? Do they have no regard for their customers? It is beyond frustrating.
-Kimerle via email
Rob: I think there will be an eventual settlement and as I noted a few weeks ago, the most likely timing at this point is right before the start of the Winter Olympics on Feb. 6 or Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8.
But we’re just days away from both and so far there’s no sign of a deal.
For Verizon customers, there are a few options, including: Get an antenna and try to capture Channel 11’s signal over the air. (Emphasis on try. Western Pennsylvanias hilly terrain can make it challenging to capture TV signals, so this may not work for all channels and is quite location dependent. As far as I know, the only way to figure out if it might work is to try it.) Although WPXI appears on TVs as virtual Channel 11, since the conversion to digital in 2009 the station has actually broadcast on UHF Channel 23. Viewers will want an antenna specifically designed for UHF or one that is designed for both UHF and VHF.
Another option is to subscribe to NBC’s sister streaming service, Peacock, which will carry Super Bowl LX and the Winter Olympics. Verizon is offering customers a credit (see more on that below) to defray the cost of one month of Peacock. Some portion of NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage will also be on cable’s USA and CNBC.
As for who’s right and who’s wrong in the WPXI vs. Verizon dispute, both parties prioritize the bottom line over viewers/customers.
The most recent statement I received from Cox Media Group, parent company of WPXI, said, “Verizon/Fios is threatening the viability of local journalism,” adding, “Verizon, a Fortune 30 company, is trying to get even bigger through acquisition while aggressively trying to undermine the value of local broadcast stations, which negatively impacts consumers. But Verizon knows the truth: local broadcast stations, including WPXI, are the most-viewed and most-valuable content on Verizon/Fios’s lineup.
“If Verizon/Fios continues to refuse to carry WPXI on fair terms, its customers will be negatively impacted. CMG continues to work in good faith to try to negotiate a new retransmission consent agreement with Verizon/Fios, and it calls on Verizon/Fios to do the same.”
And here’s Verizon’s statement from the week of Jan.25: “Verizon has exhausted all options to get Cox to play fair on behalf of our customers. To show affected customers we have their back, we are issuing a credit for $10.99, which will cover the cost of other platforms and services where luckily, the most valued content on these stations is available. Customers will receive communications later next week or can call-in or go to their account in the myVerizon app or at Verizon.com to easily redeem.
“We have negotiated many deals with companies like Cox this year and successfully closed all of them by putting the customer first, and without any disturbance to their programming. Cox refuses to make meaningful movement to ensure that Verizon customers are able to get their local stations at a reasonable market rate.
Q: Why hasn’t WQED shown the Sunday 11 p.m. soap “Velvet” for the past several weeks?
-Carol via voicemail
Rob: WQED aired all season two “Velvet” episodes, ending on Jan. 4.
Four seasons of “Velvet” exist. A PBS representative says season three will be made available for PBS stations to air in Fall 2026. If you can’t wait that long, all four seasons of “Velvet” are streaming on PBS Passport, a streaming service included with an annual donation to PBS stations of $60 or more (or $5 or more monthly).
Q: Will there be new episodes of “Save My Skin” and “My Feet Are Killing Me”? If so, will they feature the same doctors?
-Beth, McCandless
Rob: “Save My Skin,” which also seems to sometimes air under the title “The Bad Skin Clinic,” returned Jan. 7 for its fifth season and still features dermatologist Dr. Emma Craythorne. New episodes debut at 10 p.m. Wednesdays on TLC.
“My Feet Are Killing Me” aired its fourth and final season in 2022.
You can reach TV writer Rob Owen at rowen@triblive.com or 412-380-8559. Follow @RobOwenTV on Threads, X/Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky and Facebook. Ask TV questions by email or phone. Please include your first name and location.