On January 26, 1997, John Huck and Carolyn Clifford served as the inaugural anchors for “FOX 53 News at 10,” airing on a station operated by Sinclair Inc.
Now, nearly 27 years later, this station serving Western Pennsylvania is ready to launch a live-and-local hourlong alternative to TODAY and Good Morning America.
But, it is again turning to Cox Media Group to assist in the production and hosting of the offering.
Starting Monday (1/8), WPGH-TV will offer Pittsburgh TV viewers a 7am newscast. This, like the 10pm newscast airing on “FOX 53,” will be produced and staffed by individuals from WPXI-11, the Cox Media Group-owned station serving Pittsburgh.
This means Gordon Loesch, Katherine Amenta, Scott Harbaugh and Trisha Pittman, seen on WPXI until TODAY arrives on the NBC affiliate, will helm the 7am-8am newscast on WPGH.
And, it pits CMG/Sinclair versus Paramount Global’s KDKA-2, the legendary Westinghouse station that became a CBS property; KDKA-TV produces a local newscast airing 7am-9am on the company’s WPKD-22.
For “FOX 53,” the hourlong newscast cuts “The National Desk,” Sinclair’s Washington, D.C.-produced telecast, to the 8am-10am time frame.
