A commercial break taken from an episode of “The Midnight Special” aired in 1974 on KSTP-TV. Featured is an ad for KSTP-AM then known as 15 KSTP The Music Station (the commercial is one slide), Station ID, followed by Mr. Whipple and Charmin, and Knights Formal Wear.

From the days of KMSP’s ABC affiliation, this clip is the first 15 minutes of a 10pm news broadcast on KMSP-TV Channel 9 from February 1979. To provide some historical context, I left in the end credits of “Soap” which ended right before the news. ABC’s network switch to KSTP was just weeks away, all station branding had been scrubbed of any mention of the ABC television network. Note most of the news coverage in this broadcast are all network packages. One of the few local items is an interesting story on Minneapolis North High School with longtime Twin Cities activist Spike Moss.
A good essay on the pre independent days of KMSP can be found on Jeff Lonto’s site.

From October 1978: WCCO 10pm report tease and open with Dave Moore and Doug Moore. Also commercials for CBS programs WKRP, Lou Grant, and more….

In a pre-24 hour news world in 1976, the final news of the day on WCCO Channel 4 was a voiceover a painted slide reading the day’s headlines. This was after the CBS late movie, the tape cut after a couple minutes, so I am not sure how long this originally aired. Interested if anyone viewing this can identify the names of the “news makers” painted in this picture.

Masters of the Universe (He-Man and Skeletor), Van Halen, Madonna, and other dangers in your child’s toy box is debated in this episode of Twin Cities Live from August of 1986 broadcast at the Minnesota State Fair and hosted by Bob Bruce. Evangelist Phil Phillips explains his philosophy on 1980s culture leading our kids to the occult.

TC Media Now exclusive interview with longtime KSTP anchor Stan Turner. Award winning journalist, Stan Turner spent over 30 years with Hubbard Broadcasting as a reporter, news director, and anchor. During the 1980s, Mr. Turner was the main weeknight anchor of KSTP’s evening broadcasts, and from 1989 to 1992 was the principal anchor of Hubbard’s “All News Channel”. Watch as Stan Turner discusses Twin Cities media past and present, his time at KSTP, and his thoughts on journalism in the new media world.

WTCN-TV (now KARE-TV)’s 9:30pm news opening from 1975. Then an independent station, this was a Saturday evening news broadcast aired after Hee Haw in 1975. Included is a spot for Howard Johnson’s clam buffet, William Shatner, and the very 1975 (and at the time little watched and low budget) opening to Channel 11’s evening news. At the anchor desk is longtime channel 11 broadcaster Gil Amundson.

Post prime time 10pm news teaser for the (then ABC affiliate) KMSP “Channel 9 News at 10″ with Don Harrison and Cicely Hand. Unfortunately I do not have any of the actual broadcast on tape, however some vintage commercials including Al Quie for Governor and Tommy Kramer for Country Kitchen.

Don Shelby will be exiting WCCO-TV later this year. As many of us who have grown up watching Shelby over the past 30 years we know that he brings a large resume of investigative reporting, launching the I-Team in 1978. While not a lot of Don’s investigative reporting as crossed my collection or as MinnPost’s David Brauer pointed out found on WCCO’s website, I did find this somewhat different video of Don assisting a young girl with a savings account from TCF bank. Not sure if this report ever aired, it has been one of my more unique and humorous finds. From what I gather from markings on the tape this was recorded in 1983.

Barry ZeVan on WCCO? It happened in a commercial for a Twin Cities Pontiac dealer in 1978. Barry was in Washington D.C. at this time, however his “Peek-A-Boo” style was rented for local viewers. Unfortunately the tape cut off to the WCCO late night showing of Elvis’ GI Blues.