Sunday, January 16, 2000

By Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor

The list of "On Q" contributors is a long one, starting with Patti Burns, who will report on stories dealing with the resurgence of the region. That will allow her to focus on business, culture, medicine and other topics.

Other contributors -- free-lance reporters paid on a per-piece basis -- will include: Jay Apt, director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, who will report on high-tech science and space exploration; Betsy Benson, Pittsburgh Business Times editor, covering emerging companies and trends; independent producer Gina Catanzarite, focusing on children and education; Internet producer Angie Corley, lifestyle issues; WQED-FM station manager Jim Cunningham, classical music; attorney Jon Delano, as political analyst; WQED cooking show guru Chris Fennimore, with a cooking segment called "Made in Pittsburgh"; and funnyman Jimmy McGuire with, of course, humorous insights.

Local music will be covered by Pittsburgh magazine pop music editor Phil Harris, WXDX disc jockey Debbie Wilde and WYEP program director Rosemary Welsch. Pittsburgh magazine home editor Cindy Hsu Han will report on home tours and gardening; WQED's director of community relations, Kweilin Nassar, will cover diversity and religion; writer/actor Chris Potoki will contribute offbeat reports called "The Edge"; and "AgeWise" host Eleanor Schano will answer the question, "Where are they now?"

WQED producer Rick Sebak will highlight local history and books; Adam Smith of the National Black Programming Consortium will cover urban issues; Tom Sokolowski, director of The Andy Warhol Museum, will cover the arts; producer Terri Taylor will report on medical and environmental news; and Pittsburgh magazine editor/publisher Chris Fletcher will contribute features.