Did upper management at WQED Multimedia send itself on a Roman holiday paid for by long-suffering members? And did WQED go overboard sending 12 employees to Rome in January to cover the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performance for the silver anniversary of Pope John Paul II?

Should pledge breaks pay for la dolce vita?

This column will make the case that 'QED wasted money and manpower when the dozen jetted to Italy. Wasn't this public broadcasting station in financial trouble a few years ago because of wasteful spending?

The estimated travel costs were approximately $18,000, according to B.J. Leber, board secretary, senior vice president and station manager. In her e-mail to me, Leber wrote:

"The concert at the Vatican was a once-in-a-lifetime story, since the orchestra was the first American symphony to play for the pope. WQED Multimedia sent crews to cover all aspects of the trip and staff filed reports for WQED fm89.3, taped numerous segments for 'On Q,' which will air periodically, and taped segments and interviews for a one-hour television special that will air in April. Pittsburgh magazine covered the story for the April issue.

"The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is Pittsburgh's ambassador to the world. In Europe, orchestras identify a city much like football teams do in the United States. If the Steelers were in Houston this weekend, I am sure that there would be dozens and dozens of members of the local media in attendance."

Well, not really. I conducted an informal survey of local TV stations, asking how many people they would send if the Pittsburgh Steelers were in the Super Bowl. The responses ranged from a two-person crew to up to seven.

Leber; Robert F. Petrilli, treasurer, senior vice president and COO; Deb Acklin, senior vice president and chief content officer; and Jocelyn Hough, executive producer of local programming, were along for the ride. There also were several 'QED air personalities, camera operators and other production people.

What did the executives do? "I am telling you it wasn't redundant," Acklin said. "There is nothing like an extra pair of hands in the field helping coordinate logistics and helping get interviews all over the place. It was all hands on deck, trying to assist all crews."

Leber said her role was similar: "Doing whatever it took."

That "go-for" work typically is done by a minimum-wage production assistant. Or an intern.

Petrilli flew in the day before the concert and then stayed for about a week for a vacation, station sources said. He said that none of his vacation expenses would be paid for by 'QED.

An Italian TV network broadcast the concert -- not 'QED.

With a crew of seven -- a writer and photographer from the magazine, on-air talent for the broadcast segments, two camera people, a producer and an engineer -- 'QED could have fully covered the event. And surely, Italian communications majors would have volunteered to be gofers, if any were needed.

The letters "QED" represent the Latin phrase "quod erat demonstrandum," or "which was to be demonstrated."

Sending 12 'QED employees to Rome, including four near the top of the food chain, was wasteful -- "QED."

Dimitri Vassilaros can be reached at dvassilaros@tribweb.com or (412) 380-5637.