Twin Cities PBS
Broadcast Wars
“Wow, this first episode was amazing and great to watch. So nice to see many of the people from those days being interviewed and giving their recollections and stories. We were a WCCO-TV and radio household and the evening order of things was 1. Cronkite; 2. Moore; 3. Dinner.” – YouTube comment “I went to the TPT website and finished watching this excellent documentary. Personally I didn’t want it to end. I’m 61 years old and grew up in Southeast Minnesota. It wasn’t until I was out of high school that I watched any of the Twin Cities news stations. Thanks for this wonderful program.” – YouTube comment “Lived in the Cities in the 70s & 80s. Had no idea the history I was watching and also to some degree being a part of.” – YouTube comment
Publish Date: November 26, 2024 Format: 1 x 120-minute documentary; 3 x 40-minute episodes
Description
There was a time when people would stop what they were doing and watch the local evening news. From Twin Cities PBS and co-produced with Cathy Wurzer, Broadcast Wars takes us back a half century to the era when ratings battles were fierce, women and people of color were making their presence known, technology was rapidly evolving, and local TV news was as vital as it was entertaining.
Impact
At the film’s screening, attendees reflected on the rapid evolution of the news industry and the enduring importance of local journalism. Many expressed gratitude for the opportunity to connect with fellow audience members and revisit a shared media legacy. 92% of attendees said they planned to talk to others about the event, highlighting its resonance and relevance. The conversation extended online, where YouTube viewers shared personal memories and appreciation for the documentary’s deep dive into local news history:
Distribution & Reach
Platform
Reach (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025)
Broadcast
4 episodes broadcast | 4 hours broadcast | 118,537 views
Streaming
3 episodes available | 1 hour available | 58,216 streams
Events & Engagement
Social Media
37 posts | 48,834 video views | 4,518 engagements
On Thursday, November 21, TPT hosted the premiere of Broadcast Wars at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis. Following the screening, Co-Executive Producer Cathy Wurzer moderated an exclusive panel conversation with former local newscasters Marcia Fluer and Byron Barnett. 255 people attended the screening, which also involved 5 event partner organizations. The Broadcast Wars campaign sparked lively conversation across Minnesota’s media community and reintroduced audiences to the golden era of Twin Cities television news. Designed as both a nostalgic time capsule and a timely reflection on the evolution of journalism, the campaign leveraged vertical storytelling, earned media, and multi-platform distribution to reach more than 52,000 total streams within the first 60 days. Strategic partnerships with Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, TC Media Now, the Minnesota Broadcasters Association, and the Pavek Museum amplified visibility, while a high-impact Media Day featuring Cathy Wurzer generated strong coverage from outlets including MinnPost, Racket, The Minnesota Star Tribune, and the Pioneer Press. Vertical videos, YouTube discovery tests, and a targeted Minnesota Daily campaign connected new and legacy audiences, alike—demonstrating TPT’s unique ability to blend cultural reflection, journalistic integrity, and digital innovation. Broadcast Wars ultimately reinforced TPT’s role as both historian and storyteller of Minnesota’s media legacy.
Education Support materials were created for the three episodes of Broadcast Wars and are currently under review. The materials are intended for use with students in grades 9-12 and in informal learning spaces, such as community centers for seniors and adult basic education programs. They include viewing guides with discussion questions for each episode, activity guides, and vocabulary terms. Resources will be published to TPTLearn.org and will continue to be disseminated in the next biennium.
Episodes
Just The Facts | Episode 1 | November 26, 2024 Stanley Hubbard’s venerable KSTP-TV is challenged by Dave Moore and upstart WCCO in the late 1960s. Ratings Frenzy | Episode 2 | November 26, 2024 Consultants gain greater power as TV stations look for any advantage, including the perfect anchor. Out Of Nowhere | Episode 3 | November 26, 2024 After decades of local news irrelevance, KARE11 goes from laughingstock to ratings powerhouse.
“There was so much content in this documentary! The fast pace of cultural change in the 60’s and 70’s, the changes in journalism/news reporting and the changes in technology.” – Event attendee
“I love our Twin Cities community. I was very happy I came to celebrate part of it.” – Event attendee
Former WCCO news anchor Don Shelby
126
127
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator