TV Q&A: Will ‘Hometown High Q’ ever return to the studio?
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Question: Will KDKA-TV’s “Hometown High Q” ever return to the studio?
— Dave, via email
Rob: My understanding is if “Hometown High Q,” currently hosted by Ray Petelin, returns to the studio, it won’t be until the 2023-24 TV season at the earliest — and maybe not even then. Some schools prefer the current remote approach because it eliminates travel time for some schools located more than an hour away from KDKA-TV’s studio.
Q: Is KDKA-TV ever going to bring traffic reports back (with traffic reporter Celina Pompeani, maps, PennDOT cameras, etc.?)
— Nicholas, via Twitter
Rob: Celina Pompeani left that role two years ago, as we reported at that time.
Per KDKA-TV news director Shawn Hoder, the station plans to stick with John Shumway’s traffic reports during morning newscasts, which Hoder says do include maps and camera views.
Q: What happened to the cooking shows that were scheduled to air on WQED-TV on Jan. 7? Children’s programming aired instead.
— Constance, via email
Rob: My understanding is the automated master control system failed to play the scheduled playlist of cooking programming and nothing was playing. The station pivoted to PBS programming to have something on the air. The manufacturer of the automated system is investigating the issue.
Q: What happened to Anthony Anderson on “Law & Order”?
— Donna, via email
Rob: I reported in June that Anderson would be leaving “Law & Order.” He signed a one-season deal to help revive the program with a familiar face, suggesting he never intended to stick around for a longer run, preferring to concentrate instead on new creative endeavors.
Q: Has Paramount+ picked up “SEAL Team” season six or made any announcements as to the show’s status?
— Rick, Pittsburgh
Rob: Season six streamed on Paramount+ from September to November 2022 and still lives on Paramount+. A “SEAL Team” movie for Paramount+ also was announced but is no longer in active development. But on Jan. 18, Paramount+ announced the show has been renewed for a seventh season; no word yet on when that might air.
Q: What happened to Shepard Smith’s newscast on CNBC? It hasn’t been on for months.
— Kathy, McKees Rocks
Rob: CNBC canceled Smith’s two-year-old news program in November in favor of a business news program that will launch early this year.
Q: I waited all summer for new “Crime Scene Kitchen” episodes, but only saw reruns from summer 2021. Any chance there will be a season two?
— Nancy, Greensburg
Rob: There will be a second season. It’s already been taped, but does not yet have an air date. Host Joel McHale stars in the upcoming Fox midseason comedy “Animal Patrol,” but “Crime Scene Kitchen” is not being paired with “Animal Patrol,” so my guess is “CSK” won’t return until summer.