From 1979: The final minute of a KMSP newscast from 1979 with a wacky story on traffic radar followed by commercials that aired during the CBS Late Movie which KMSP at that time aired. Commercials featured this evening were for: Arby’s (including NEW location near Maplewood Mall, Ethan Allen, Schlitz Malt Liquor, Verizon Town Homes (with Steve Edelman), Budget Power, Towsley Ford, United Airlines and more….
Comments:
Jeff Lonto: In its last two months as an ABC affiliate, KMSP dumped ABC Late Night and picked up the CBS Late Movie, which WCCO wasn’t carrying. General manager Don Swartz boasted about how much ABC would lose in ad revenue for the two months by his dropping the programming.
After ABC went to KSTP in March, KMSP’s newscast title changed to Prime Time News and the arrangement with CBS lasted until September.
Other bits of trivia, Ernie Martz does the local voiceovers and the newscast music is “Symphonic Soul” by Henry Mancini.
Jimjam: I didn’t know CBS used their trippy Special Presentation music for their Late Movie. I wonder if KMSP would have gotten the full affiliation with CBS if WCCO got ABC. I heard somewhere that WCCO was approached by ABC at that time, and they strongly considered switching.
gc5341: Boss Hogg from the Dukes of Hazard was the policeman in one of those commercials.
Jeff Lonto: Also notice at 9:57 KMSP cuts off a CBS promo for The Incredible Hulk. I guess they didn’t feel the need to promote shows on their air that would be seen on Channel 4.
iamnomad: The V/Os on the “CBS Late Movie” opening and promos were by Norm Stevens (died 1988).