At age 35, Cornerstone TeleVision is opening new connections to local churches.

“The church is the center of the people of faith and my goal was to get more connected to the church,” said Donald O. Black, CEO since December 2012 of Wall-based WPCB-40 and Altoona's WKBS-47.

A celebration at the Wall studios will be recorded for a special edition of “RealLife” on April 12 at 8 p.m.

“RealLife” regularly airs weekdays at 9 a.m. with repeats at 1 and 8 p.m. and 1 a.m.

A recent show featured the Rev. Pete Giacalone, pastor of Rainbow Temple Assembly of God in McKeesport, and McKeesport Councilwoman V. Fawn Walker-Montgomery, about opposition by the city's ministerium to a strip club.

“It wasn't really a call to action,” Black said. “We told our viewers that those in the Pittsburgh area could join them.”

“RealLife” is recorded on an every-other-week basis, with two shows each day, one live and one for airing one week later.

“That gives us that next week to use that and produce other programming,” Black said. However, “our senior producer has the freedom to call a live production any time.”

“RealLife” was meant to have spinoffs. “Sister to Sister” segments will premiere as a new half-hour on May 7.

Other Cornerstone plans include a “faith and family channel” offering time for worship and praise gatherings.

“We will invite churches that have video to be on this channel at no charge,” Black said.

Tom McGough, known for “SportsWeek,” will be general manager for the channel Black wants to sign on this fall in place of Bible Discovery Network on channels 40.2 in Wall and 47.2 in Altoona.

The network is looking to other media, too. Black foresees expansion into a “smart television world” with 8-10 million potential households.

Cornerstone is joining others locally in supporting Franklin Graham's “Three Rivers Festival of Hope” sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Aug. 15-17 at Consol Energy Center.

“It is multi-denominational, ecumenical,” Black said.

The www.threerivershope.org website has more details.

WPCB or Western Pennsylvania Christian Broadcasting was signed on by the late Rev. R. Russell Bixler and his wife Norma on Easter Sunday, April 15, 1979.

“They partnered and created this TV station after many years of adversity,” Black said.

“Russ and I went through a lot of struggles, but I'd do it again if I could,” Norma Bixler, 85, wrote for the current ministry newsletter.

Other WPCB developments:

• Secular infomercials aired weekends in “home, health and family blocks” will go off once contracts expire. “Our audience is not expecting that kind of programming,” Black conceded.

• “Origins” is slated to return with “a different packaging.” Classic “LightMusic” programs will be planned for 26 weeks, followed by a new “LightMusic” show this fall.

Patrick Cloonan is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1967, or pcloonan@tribweb.com.

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