Jun 8, 2015 4 min read

No one would have been surprised if the creators of “Friday Night Lights – the movie and TV series – revealed that the fictional setting was based on a town in Western Pennsylvania. This area, after all, has long thrived on its Friday night football games, whether it’s been the players, the student body or townies that live vicariously through their teams. It’s part of the unbreakable fabric of Western Pennsylvania culture.

It’s no surprise that from September to November, Pittsburgh TV stations devote about half of their Friday night telecasts to high school football results. What is a surprise is that no station has put together a series of live broadcasts of high school football games during prime time.

On Sept. 4, that will change.

Last week, WPNT – the former WPMY (Channel 22) – announced it would be airing “Friday Night Rivals” as part of its new branding. That includes an Oct. 9 home game between Canon-McMillan and Woodland Hills.

Terry G. Kowalski, creative services director of the station, said “Basically, the point of ’22 – the Point’ – is to become a local sports destination. More exciting things will unfold in the weeks and months ahead.”

Kowalski said he couldn’t elaborate, but that “it’s something big.”

On Sept. 1, “22 – The Point” will replace the “My TV” logo as part of the rebranding process. But Kowalski assures current viewers the “My TV” concept isn’t entirely going away. WPNT will still air “My TV” content from 8 to 10 p.m. with reruns of shows such as “The Walking Dead.” “Bones,” “The Mentalist,” “House” and “Law and Order.”

But WPNT evidently is going to take full advantage of its affiliation with the American Sports Network to fill the majority of its schedule. Kowalski said WPNT is working with Sports Fever Television Network as well.

The first evidence of the rebranding of the station will be on Father’s Day, June 21, with a telecast of an Altoona Curve baseball game. Altoona is the Class AA affiliate of the Pirates. Does that mean WPNT might also be looking at broadcasting Washington Wild Things games? Kowalski said only, “I’m sure we’ll be talking with them.”

The station also will continue with its telecasts of games in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (which includes California) on Saturdays and Wilkes-Barre Scranton “Baby Pens” games.

You have a good memory if you recall a Pittsburgh radio station using the call letters WPNT from 1979 to 1986. “The Point” was the old KDKA-FM and primarily an easy listening music format. In 1986, it became WLTJ-FM.

Less than a month after announcing its 2015-16 schedule, ABC already has made a major adjustment. It’s pulled its new Sunday series, “Of Kings and Prophets” for casting changes and replaced it with another new series, “Quantico” which was originally slated for Tuesdays at 10 p.m. There’s been no announcement on what will fill the Tuesday slot, which has been an Achilles heel for the network, although this fall’s “Muppets” and “Fresh Off The Boat” lead-in would seem to benefit a new show.

Did anyone notice how several of ABC’s comedies (“The Middle,” ‘The Goldbergs,” “blackish”) ended their seasons with episodes that could well have served as series finales? That’s because ABC famously doesn’t renew its series until just before the end of the season. I didn’t think the veteran “The Middle” was in danger of being axed, although at least some were reportedly being courted for other series.

“The Mindy Project,” canned by Fox after three seasons, was picked up by Hulu. No such luck for NBC’s axed “Constantine.”