October lineup pairs local films and new WQED specials with a free theater screening and Halloween broadcasts of Night of the Living Dead
PITTSBURGH, PA (September 30, 2026) – This October, WQED invites neighbors to discover the people, places, and stories behind the Pittsburgh region’s love of horror, Halloween, and the wonderfully weird.
Dead Air features television premieres from local independent filmmakers, a newly digitized 1979 portrait of horror icon Tom Savini, and other discoveries from WQED’s archives. New specials from Rick Sebak and Nebby Nick join the lineup, along with opportunities to enjoy George A. Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead at home and on the big screen.
Night of the Living Dead put Pittsburgh on the horror map in 1968, and we’ve been making our mark on the genre ever since. But beyond the zombies, our horror legacy extends to local filmmakers, special-effects artists, and oddity collectors, along with haunted attractions, historic cemeteries, and countless artists, musicians, and fans who embrace Halloween culture.
Dead Air takes over the airways every Thursday at 8 p.m. on WQED-TV, with local independent filmmakers taking the spotlight on October 1. The first of two evenings of Halloween-themed shorts making their television debut features Groundskeeper, by Point Park University’s Gabriel Hoover; Haunted Melodies, by Stephanie Trainer of Cunning Folk Films; and TrueLink, by Derek Hughes of Skene19 Films. A second showcase airs Thursday, October 22, at 8 p.m. Mr. Arm and Velda Von Minx of local oddity museum Trundle Manor host Dead Air throughout the month.
On Tuesday, October 27 at 7 p.m., WQED is hosting a live screening of Night of the Living Dead at The Oaks Theater in Oakmont. Admission is free, but registration is required.
“Pittsburgh’s creative spirit takes many forms, and our horror tradition is part of what makes this region unique,” said Jason Jedlinski, WQED’s President and CEO. “With Dead Air, we’re celebrating that creativity and inviting more people to discover or reconnect with WQED. It’s part of our broader effort to connect neighbors through shared experiences—including the fun of enjoying a Pittsburgh classic together in a neighborhood theater.”
WQED is also bringing a rarely seen piece of Pittsburgh film history back to the screen. Retrieved from deep storage and newly digitized, the 1979 documentary Tom Savini: Master of Metamorphosis returns to television for the first time in decades on Thursday, October 29, at 10 p.m. The half-hour film offers an early portrait of the Pittsburgh native known for his influential work as a makeup and special-effects artist, actor, and director.
The discoveries continue with Dead Air: The WQED Archives Resurrected, a collection of Halloween-season stories originally broadcast from 2004 to 2008. Airing Thursday, October 29, at 11 p.m., the special invites viewers to revisit the people and places that helped WQED capture the region’s Halloween spirit.
Two new specials – Lucky to Live in Pittsburgh: Cemeteries and Nebbin’ Around Town: Halloween – explore the region’s cemeteries and Halloween attractions, while Rick Sebak’s George Romero & the City of the Living Dead (1991) revisits the filmmaker’s enduring connection to Pittsburgh.
On Saturday, October 31, Dead Air comes to a terrifying close with back-to-back airings of Night of the Living Dead, starting at 9 p.m.
Younger viewers can enjoy family-friendly scares with two blocks of Halloween episodes from PBS KIDS favorites like Arthur, Wild Kratts, Cyberchase, and Odd Squad on Sunday, October 25, 6 a.m.-noon and Friday, October 30, 6-11 a.m.
For the full Dead Air schedule, visit wqed.org/deadair.
WQED members who contribute at least $5/month or $60/year can also stream select Dead Air programs on demand in the WQED+ app.
About WQED
Founded in 1953 as America’s first community-owned television station, WQED was a forerunner to PBS and the television home of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Today WQED provides a trusted platform that amplifies southwestern Pennsylvania’s vibrant and diverse cultural assets. WQED’s Education team builds vital bridges between families and dozens of schools, libraries, and community partners, offering free and accessible resources wherever kids learn, live, and play. Every day, WQED showcases the stories and voices that make our communities unique, strengthening our connections to each other and deepening our pride in the place we call home.
About WQED+
WQED+ is an all-in-one streaming app provided as a benefit to WQED members who contribute at least $5 per month or $60 annually. WQED+ offers unlimited on-demand access to thousands of PBS and local programs, complete series and special collections, early access to new episodes and exclusive content, all five live channels in HD, and personalized watchlists and curated collections to match viewers’ interests. WQED+ is available on a wide range of devices, making it easy to watch what you want, when you want. To learn more, visit wqed.org/plus.