There’s an intriguing tale about how the Twin Cities, with its relatively limited number of actual celebrities, saw local television news anchors and reporters taking on a significant role. This is vividly brought to life in the fascinating new documentary “Broadcast Wars.”

Uncover the History and Impact of Twin Cities Broadcast News

The Birth of Commercial Radio in Minnesota

Red Wing native Stanley Eugene Hubbard was largely responsible for the birth of commercial radio in Minnesota. He built the first radio station that survived on advertising sales across the country. Around 10 years after KSTP radio began airing, Hubbard bought the first television camera made by RCA and used radio station profits to establish a television station. KSTP TV went live on April 27, 1948, and offered some of the first newscasts in the country. Initially, the news only aired on Mondays, but daily 10 p.m. newscasts began in the early 1950s. Hubbard himself sometimes covered breaking news.This laid the foundation for the local broadcast news industry in the Twin Cities, showing how one individual’s vision and business acumen could shape the media landscape.

The Rise of “The Scene Tonight” at WCCO

To compete with KSTP, WCCO hired consultants to develop “The Scene Tonight.” It debuted on January 8, 1968, with anchors Dave Moore, Bud Kraehling, Hal Scott, and Skip Loescher. It was the area’s first 45-minute 10 p.m. newscast, and the station used this length and format to try new innovations.Cyndy Brucato, a WCCO reporter in the late 1970s, loved Moore and tried to write in his voice. She said, “That’s how I learned to write good TV news copy … He was so good and yet he wasn’t a newsman and he was the first to tell you he wasn’t a newsman.” This shows how influential these early anchors were in shaping the style and content of local news.

Competition and Innovations in Twin Cities Newscasts

To compete with “The Scene Tonight,” KSTP pioneered a dual anchor model, pairing John MacDougall with Bob Ryan. Around the same time, weathermen began to show more personality on the air. P.J. Hoff at KSTP was a columnist and cartoonist for the St. Paul Dispatch and would use a big sketch pad and marker to illustrate the forecast. Kraehling at WCCO was the first in the market to use weather radar.In the 1960s, WCCO employed the first weather girl, Nancy Nelson, to add a little sex appeal to their newscasts. In 1969, WTCN (which would later become KARE) hired the first Black weather girl in the market, Toni Hughes.These innovations not only attracted viewers but also set the stage for the future development of local news.

The Arrival of Actual Meteorologists

In the 1970s, actual meteorologists began showing up on local stations. Longtime meteorologist Paul Douglas said, “A couple of very visionary general managers in weather-sensitive markets tried out putting actual degreed meteorologists on the air. And viewers seemed to like it because they could actually explain what was going on and why.”This marked a significant shift in the way local news was presented, as viewers now had access to more in-depth weather information.

The Impact of Consultants on News Formats

In the 1970s, competition between the stations led to the further use of consultants. They used audience research to shape the look and feel of newscasts for decades to come. They created fast-paced, flashy news formats like action news or eyewitness news, emphasized good-looking anchors and dramatic graphics, and designed slick set layouts.This really changed the face of local TV news and set the stage for the modern news era.