After decades of competition, the Pittsburgh TV station chopper wars are over with just one helicopter left flying.
The beginning of the end started two years ago when KDKA-TV and WPXI-TV decided to share one helicopter. Prior to that, each station contracted for its own chopper.
Now, KDKA and WPXI have dropped the shared helicopter altogether. KDKA general manager Chris Cotugno and WPXI general manager Kevin Hayes did not respond to a request for comment. But one can easily assume the helicopter was likely cut for budgetary reasons.
WTAE-TV will continue to use a helicopter in its news coverage.
“We will be maintaining our chopper and Sky4 will be the only active news-gathering helicopter in the market,” Channel 4 general manager Charles Wolfertz III said via email.
Contracting to fly a helicopter is a costly proposition for TV stations, often in the tens of thousands of dollars per month. An Indianapolis TV station stopped using a helicopter in 2017 and a Cincinnati station ended its chopper use in 2020.
Locally, Channel 11 highlighted Chopper 11 in on-air promos even after it started sharing a helicopter with Channel 2. With KDKA and WPXI exiting the chopper game, anticipate WTAE touting its new competitive advantage.
Mister Rogers moment
Last week in advance of tonight’s 75th anniversary Emmy Awards (8 p.m., Fox), some Television Academy of Arts Sciences members voted on “The Top 75 Most Impactful Television Moments.”
“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” episode No. 1065, featuring Fred Rogers inviting Officer Clemmons (Francois Clemmons) to share a wading pool on a hot day, ranked No. 7 behind only the Apollo 11 moon landing (“One small step for man …”), 9/11 terrorist attacks live news coverage, The Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” the miniseries “Roots,” Walter Cronkite announcing the death of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech.
Premiere dates
NBC’s “Quantum Leap” returns with new episodes at 10 p.m. Jan. 30.
New episodes of “Judy Justice” will stream weekdays Jan. 22-April 5 on both Amazon Freevee and Prime Video.
Season two of “Tokyo Vice” premieres Feb. 8 on Max.
Syfy’s “Resident Alien” returns for its third season at 10 p.m. Feb. 14.
Apple TV+ debuts a new “Peanuts” special, “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin,” on Feb. 16 and season two of “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock” on March 29.
Peacock will stream likely Oscar nominee “Oppenheimer” beginning Feb. 16.
Channel surfing
Peacock says the AFC Wild Card game that aired Saturday was the most-streamed live event in U.S. history averaging 26.3 million viewers across Peacock, NFL+ and NBC stations in Kansas City and Miami. … The CW’s “LIV Golf” coverage for 2024 kicks off at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 3 on WPNT-TV locally. … Cable’s Reelz ordered an additional 90 episodes of “On Patrol: Live,” keeping the series on air through at least January 2025. … Netflix will produce a new “Fear Street” movie, this one based on R.L. Stine’s “The Prom Queen.” … Greg Daniels, creator of “The Office,” convenes a writers’ room this week for a potential new series set in “The Office” universe but with new characters and a new office setting.
You can reach TV writer Rob Owen at rowen@triblive.com or 412-380-8559. Follow @RobOwenTV on Threads, X, Bluesky and Facebook. Ask TV questions by email or phone. Please include your first name and location.
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January 15, 2024 at 11:12PM
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TV Talk: KDKA-TV, WPXI ground shared chopper; Mister Rogers moment ranks Top 10 - TribLIVE
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