Every Friday afternoon, we provide a preview of the various Sunday morning political talk shows that are filmed and broadcast throughout the commonwealth.

Our hope is to alert readers to the important interviews and insights that each show in their region offers.

@Issue

NBC10-Philadelphia-11:30 a.m.

Host: Rosemary Connors

Our topics this week:

The Merrick Garland Nomination: Guest — Prof. Craig Green, a local man who used to clerk for the judge

Sports Fans Misbehaving: Guest – Sportswriter Aaron Carter

Inside Story

6abc-Philadelphia-11:30 a.m.

Host Monica Malpass and the Insiders discuss the Presidential race coming to PA. Topics also include Philly democrats winning two special house elections, Senator Toomey’s response to President Obama’s judicial nominees, and Michael Eakin’s resignation from the Supreme Court.

Roundtable

Sharmain Matlock-Turner

Jan Ting

Christine Flowers

Dom Giordano

KD/PG Sunday Edition

CBS2-Pittsburgh-11:30 a.m.

This Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m., on KDKA-TV’s “KD/PG Sunday Edition” broadcast – with KDKA-TV News Anchor Stacy Smith and David Shribman, Executive Editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

On this week’s program – the political fallout, from President Obama’s selection, this past week, of U.S. District Court Judge Merrick Garland, to succeed Antonin Scalia, on the United States Supreme Court, following Scalia’s unexpected death, last month.

Republican leaders in the United States Senate say they will not consider confirmation hearings for any Supreme Court nominee, until after the election.

Our guest is Kenneth Gormley, J.D. – President-elect of Duquesne University, former dean of its law school, and now, professor of law, at Duquesne.  Gormley is a nationally-recognized expert on constitutional law. He is the author of “Archibald Cox: Conscience of a Nation”, “The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr”, and a new book – “The Presidents and the Constitution”.

Please join Stacy Smith and Jon Delano – Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. – right after CBS’ “Face the Nation” – for the “KD/PG Sunday Edition” – on KDKA-TV.

Pennsylvania Newsmakers

WGAL Channel 8 (Harrisburg and Lancaster) Sunday, March 20th at 11:30 AM

WBPH (Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia) Monday, March 21st at 8:30 PM

WKBS 47 (Altoona) Saturday, March 26th at 9:30 AM

WPCB 40 (Pittsburgh) Saturday, March 26th at 9:30 AM

This week, WGAL News-8’s Pete Muntean guest-hosts Pennsylvania Newsmakers, focusing on state efforts to address an unprecedented epidemic of drug abuse, and on proposed state law changes to prevent child abuse. Joining Pete are Scott Shapiro MD, President of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy, and Gary Tennis, Esq., Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, who give us a look at the seriousness of prescription drug and heroin abuse in the state, and what is being proposed to address it. Then, Pete is joined by Kristen Houser, Chief Public Affairs Officer with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, who tells us about a renewed call to change state law in the wake of recent child abuse reports from the Altoona-Johnstown Catholic Diocese. Link here.

The Sunday Business Page

CBS2-Pittsburgh-6:30 a.m.

This Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m., a special edition of “The Sunday Business Page”, with KDKA-TV’s Money & Politics Editor Jon Delano:

We’re devoting our entire program to a discussion of the quality of the delivery of mental health services in America, and our community, and what’s being done, to transform that care.

We’ll talk with Robert Gibbs — Chief Commercial Officer of a King of Prussia, Pennsylvania start-up company – Genomind – about a revolution in the diagnosis and treatment of the mentally ill – through the use of DNA testing – administered through a swab of the patient’s own saliva. This “personalized medicine” enables health professionals to better tailor the administration of medicines to each patient – to be more effective, and less harmful.

Then, we’ll ask the President and CEO of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation – Karen Wolk Feinstein, Ph.D. – about a new initiative – to improve mental health prevention and treatment services for children and teens, in Southwestern Pennsylvania. It’s estimated that one in five teens experiences a seriously debilitating mental disorder. However, less than half of those teens are provided with any mental health “treatment” – and of those, seen – many say their care was “ineffective”.

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation is trying to change that, and is even experimenting with the use of phone apps – to help patients receive treatment.

Finally, Republican Congressman Tim Murphy – from Pennsylvania’s 18th District (Pittsburgh’s South Hills) – a psychologist – by trade – himself – will join us, to discuss the challenges of trying to overhaul America’s mental healthcare delivery system.  Murphy has introduced a bill in Congress, which has bi-partisan support. However, it faces new hurdles – among certain members of the Republican Party – including Senator Pat Toomey.

Please join Jon Delano, for this important broadcast – Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m., on “The Sunday Business Page”, on KDKA-TV.