TV Talk: Pam Surano exits KDKA-TV for job with Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh

KDKA-TV freelance reporter Pam Surano has left the station and joined the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh where she’s now working as producer/assignment editor for another former KDKA mainstay: Jennifer Antkowiak, who is the diocese’s executive director of communications and community relations.

Surano said Antkowiak, who Surano had met previously years ago, interviewed her for the December 2021 issue of Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine about Surano’s daughter Mary, who was paralyzed in a 2020 trampoline accident. At the time there was no opening in the diocese communications department.

“I wasn’t looking for a new role. I’ve always been happy at KDKA. Reporting for KD was the honor of a lifetime. I cherished being with people out in the field, the action and adventure of never knowing what the day would bring,” said Surano, who started at KDKA in 2018. “Later in February there became an opening at the diocese and people in the diocese reached out.”

✝️I’m honored to have joined @DioPitt in the Dept.of Communications and Community Relations✝️ I have loved reporting for KDKA-TV. I’m now looking forward to serving in a new capacity.Happy to share the journey here! Your prayers have meant the world to me! ❤️#journeyoffaith pic.twitter.com/Tmp2VDEb6U

— PamSurano (@SuranoPam) March 25, 2022

Surano said she contemplated turning down the job offer.

“I thought about it for a period of two weeks and the diocese was so gracious to give me that time. They knew my heart was pulled in many ways,” Surano said, praising KDKA for station executives’ support, compassion and understanding when Mary had her accident and again when Surano broke her ankle and two bones in her leg last year. “I don’t know how it’s possible to be sad and excited about something at the same time.”

Surano said her daughter’s accident changed everything.

“It changed me on the inside in the sense I do want to go deeper into my faith,” Surano said. “Even though I was faith-filled before, it makes me want to know everything that I can know about God and eternity and sharing it with other people.”

Mary continues her recovery.

“She’s using her leg braces in therapy more and her hips are propelling her legs forward so that is a really good sign,” Surano said. “There wasn’t muscle activation there before and now there is.”

Surano is settling into her new role where she’ll do some writing for Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine among other duties.

“It was meant to be, I just needed to listen to the calling of what was on my heart,” Surano said. “Sometimes you fight that. I fought it for a while, but this is definitely the direction I needed to go.”

Channel surfing

It’s a hat trick for actor Cameron Britton who starred in shot-in-Pittsburgh series “Mindhunter” and “Manhunt: Deadly Games” and will return to town to act in the Tom Hanks feature film “A Man Called Otto.” … On May 5, “Mystery Science Theater 3000” will debut its 13th season as an indie on its own streaming platform, Gizmoplex, where viewers can buy new episodes ($8 each) or a season pass ($135). Details at www.mst3k.com/season13. … Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” returns for its second season June 28.