KDKA adding 8 p.m. prime news to sister indy, streamer

Pittsburgh’s KDKA is adding a primetime 8 p.m. newscast on its sister station WPKD. 

WPKD is a former CW affiliate that CBS News and Stations converted to an independent on Sept. 1, 2023, also changing its calls from WPCW, along with seven of its sister stations that were formerly linked to The CW.

Many of these stations switched over to the name “(City Name) (Channel Number),” but Pittsburgh, KPIX in San Fransisco, and KMAX in Sacramento, California, tacked on a plus sign to their familiar letters, meaning that WPCW is known on-air as KDKA+

The new broadcast will be branded as “Primetime News on KDKA+” and will air on the station’s free over the signal as well as on pay TV providers and the station’s CBS News Pittsburgh streamer.

Jessica Guay will anchor the newscast when it launches Jan. 8, 2023, with Ray Petelin on weather.

Instead of the station’s main news set, Guay will anchor from the newsroom, which was renovated in 2023 as part of the station’s “KDKA 2.0” initiative. 

Plans call for her to be stationed near the circular assignment desk in the middle of the space, making it possible to interact with assignment desk staffers.

Sister stations KCBS and KCAL in Los Angeles debuted a new studio in January 2023 that features an in-studio assignment desk that allows talent to interact with staffers. The setup is used on broadcast across both KCBS and KCAL, which was not part of the CW affiliation realignment. 

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