Better days ahead for FSN Pittsburgh

Hopefully that is good news for Pittsburgh sports fans.  I'll take a "wait and see" approach.  FSN as a whole (not just the Pittsburgh affiliate) seems to have gone through a lot of changes over the years, especially in the original programming category.  Besides the actual games and pre/post game shows there really isn't much there anymore except for repeats of previous shows.  Hopefully there is a lot more local content in the future.

Hopefully this will lead to improved content on FSN,  but absent local ownership I would not get myself overly excited.

You need only look at the situation in radio here, where two corporations own 8 of the largest stations in the market. The result is, as they say, audible...(pardon the pun...)

(Local ownership is overrated.  Are you unhappy with ESPN Radio 1250? You should not be. That is not locally owned. Is Ron Burkle a bad owner?  ---  Bob Smizik)

great news just to be rid of liberty! I'm optimistic that the new owners will return to the successful formula that Pittsburgers near and far loved. Being a transplanted pittsburgher fox pitt and sportsbeat in particular filled a large void in my life, Its been tough without the sportsbeat steeler monday with stan and tunch. thanks for the scoop, bob, and happy thanksgiving!  

No, I'm not unhappy with ESPN Radio or Ron Burkle, and I don''t think that good ownership must be local. The Nuttings are from nearby Wheeling, which is local enough, I would think, to prove that point..

I do believe that local ownership is generally more responsive to local needs and interests, though. I confess to being employed by a company that was locally headquartered and owned for over a hundred years and is now owned by an organization based in the U.K., and my personal experiences may have left me somewhat biased..

Thanks for the info Bob.  Great news!

Bob, do you know what kind of shape Direct TV is in financially?

Note to Direct TV:  We're tired of poker on TV!

Bring back SportsBeat!!!! I used to watch the show regularly after work during the week, and get caught up on the local sports scene. Now, without it, I never watch FSN Pittsburgh unless there is a game on. I would definitely welcome SportsBeat back!

I hope the change in ownership brings back more local programming. I used to love the Sunday night shows with Tunch & Wolf during football season, and of course, Stan's a living legend. I quit subscribing to FSN on DirecTV when Stan's show was canceled. For those of us living out of state (I'm in Birmingham, Alabama), Stan's show was a little slice of home every night. Please keep us informed about changes to the station's programming, Bob. Thanks!

I would love to see a 3 hr call in show. Frankly I was a little tired of Stan and his self-deprecating humor. The act was wearing thin.I would like to see a more lively show with some good guests. But that would probably cost too much. So I would settle for the old Sportbeat show, better then nothing.

Bring back Mike Lange!  Lange and the Ol' Two Niner are so much better than Steigerwald and Errey.  Unfortunately it's doesn't work as well to turn down the tv and turn up the radio for Pen's games as it is for the Steelers.  I became so annoyed with Steigerwald and Errey's shtick through the Pens Stanley Cup run last year that I tried.

Happy Turkey Day everyone.

I just read the title before clicking to the article and my first thought was, Errey and Steigy were let go...Liberty has driven FSN into the ground, I hope this works out for the better, and I hope Mike Lange and the Ole 29er get the tv broadcasts.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I cancelled my subscription to the FSN networks thru Directtv the day after Stans last show. The only way I would purchase it again would be if Sportsbeat was aired again, I too would welcome more Pittsburgh sports oriented programmng living out of the area these days. This is good news.

Maybe we could interest Directtv in buying the Pirates???

Thanks for the good news Bob.  This has to be an improvement.  I sure hope they bring back Sports Beat.  What a shame that it's been off the air.  It left a void on local sports TV.  I know some people are tired of Stan.  Probably mostly the younger crowd.  But if they do it right, they may be able to appeal to everyone.  The interviews and insight provided by that program was excellent.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Oh Yeah, almost forgot.  I agree that Lange needs to be back on TV.  What happened to him was a travesty.  Steigy and Errey are like Harry and Lloyd.  Put them on radio where they belong.  I can take them occasionally, but every game is a bit much to ask of sane humans.

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 Please let it be true that both sports beat and the Suday night football wrap up return. I also like hockey to the max and press coverage with Ike Taylor. Living in So. Cal it was great way to stay on top of Pittsburgh sports.

It's great news, but lets hope they do something other than return Stan Savran to prominence.  Stan is pretty played out  and could work in a limited supporting role, but not as a headliner.

If this means Mike Lange on TV broadcasts where he belongs, then I'm all for it.

Yes, even if it means we have to watch Stan Savran at the front of every victory parade in town.

At the risk of being told Im not a true Pittsburgher, I never have cared for Mike Lange...On radio, hes horrible......He calls a game on radio like hes still doing TV play by play (and he didnt call a TV game much better)....He supposed to paint a picture for the listener on radio - he is consistently 2-3 second behind the play..Listen closely at home games and how many times when the Pens score, you can hear the crowd erupt before he makes the goal call..  On TV you can get away with this  - let the play develop while talking to the color guy because the viewer can see what it is going on...This cannot occur on radio at all...

I'd welcome seeing more of Stan Savran again. He's got his routine down pat and can be depended on.   Let's see more of him Sunday nights after Steeler games and after Pirates and Pens affairs too.

Steigerwald and Errey do a fine job on TV for the Pens.

Overall, FOX Sports Pittsburgh needs to at least get back to where it was a year ago to be credible.

Oooh bring back Lange and Steigy doing the simulcasts...I miss those days (Yes, I know it won't happen).

Sure do miss Monday nights with Tunch and the Tunch-istrator.  Not the same.  After a Steeler loss, Tunch's diagrams helped me down from the ledge.   Hope they bring back the Sunday night coverage too. That goes back a few more years but it was excellent.   Stan's nightly show was like a letter from home, both the 6 and back when they used to do the 10.

Not sure how much if any of those DTV will bring back,  but anything is better than Liberty Media which ran FSN Pittsburgh like the Nuttings run the Pirates.

This post was mentioned on Twitter by TheConfluence: Smizik: DirecTV purchases FSN Pittsburgh (and 2 other FSN's) from Liberty Media: The return of "Sportsbeat" ?? . http://tinyurl.com/yhn3svl

First off STAN....GUY....LOVE THE SHOW!

anything to improve the station would be great not that it needs much more than sports. The sports coverage is excellent but local talk shows like Savran on Sports and others that are carried post-game are great ways for local sports tidbits to be discussed.

Hope things work out and I second the notion on getting Lange and the OL' 29'er back on the air or at least relegate Steigerwald to being a color man again. For the life of me can someone please tell him the word is WINDING which sounds like GRINDING and BLINDING NOT Whinding which he constantly says when our defensemen skate out of our zone. It makes my skin crawl everytime I hear it. Sorry had to vent that out.