KSTP in Minneapolis/Saint Paul has been airing a local lifestyle show, Twin Cities Live, for more than 15 years. Mandy Tadych, director of programming and promotions for KSTP, says the show fulfills several goals for the station. “First, it’s grassroots promotion at its finest,” she says. “We get our talent out in the community meeting and greeting viewers.”
KSTP, Hubbard’s ABC affiliate in Minneapolis/Saint Paul, has been airing a local lifestyle show, Twin Cities Live, for more than 15 years.
The 90-minute show airs on KSTP weekday afternoons from 3 until 4:30.
Mandy Tadych, director of programming and promotions for KSTP, says the show fulfills several goals for the station.
“First, it’s grassroots promotion at its finest,” she says. “We get our talent out in the community meeting and greeting viewers.”
Tadych says the show has unique content not seen anywhere else.
And finally, it’s very sales friendly. A local real estate company, Desrochers Realty, has been the sponsor since 2019.
The sponsors get a segment in the live broadcast to feature homes in the area that are for sale.
“They get the grassroots marketing and it’s been really successful for them,” she says.
Tadych says Twin Cities Live is the top-rated program in its time period.
At 4 o’clock, Twin Cities Live leads with a news and weather block to lead into the station’s 5 Eyewitness News at 4:30.
“5 Eyewitness News at 4:30 is number one in the time period for news,” Tadych says. “It’s been a great move for us.”
Elizabeth Ries has been a host of Twin Cities Live since the beginning, and Ben Leber, a former linebacker in the NFL who played for the Minnesota Vikings, was named a new co-host in May 2022.
Once a month, the show picks a community to feature for a week, and promotes it as Twin Cities Live in Your Town.
All week long, the show does news segments about the people, places and businesses in that town.
“These are all editorial segments that force the producers to go hyper local and find topics beyond the headlines,” she says.
How do the reporters find the stories?
“It’s good old fashion journalism ,” she says. “It’s calling, figuring out who the mayor is, going to different little, small Facebook pages, reaching out trying to figure out who those key players are.”
One show during that week is done from the town, she says.
“The week culminates with a live broadcast at a local watering hole where we invite community leaders and fans,” Tadych says.
At one location two hours from the Twin Cities, 500 people showed up for the live show.
Tadych says the station’s news anchors and meteorologists often come out to the live newscasts in towns around the metro.
“It’s just been a great way for our people to get out and meet people,” she says.
“Hubbard has let me have some fun and enjoy the uniqueness of this job.”
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