@LindseySeavert is a native Minnesotan and started reporting locally for @WCCO and now reports for @KARE11. She also is a busy mom! :)

Lindsey:    I am all of those things. And I am beginning this Twitterview with a toddler insisting to be on my lap!

Juggling and Tweeting then. :) What made you want to become a storyteller?

Lindsey:    I love to offer people a voice, words come easily and you have the ability to educate, inspire, evoke emotion.

Creation and development are important. Did you have some on-the-job mentors along the way?

Lindsey:    Yes, owe so much to peers who made tv storytelling a craft. @boydhuppert has been an incredible mentor

Being a good storyteller is important, and you also have to know your audience. What do Minnesotans like?

Lindsey:    MNs are a sharp bunch. They don’t tolerate sensationalism, demand quality. We have engaged, educated news consumers

Our viewers see through a weak report and aren’t afaid to tell you. They hold us accountable. We work for the public.

With large cities as well as a large rural area, is balance also important in the types of stories covered?

Lindsey:    Balance is paramount. Have to remember this vast state, avoid being “Cities” centric, and showcase diverse groups.

As a working mom, what kinds of things do you juggle with to get “everything done” each day?

Lindsey:    Voice in my head! Honestly, feel like I come up short often. Story ideas, deadlines, housework, boy and hub to love

Try to remember I’m doing my best. Try to forgive myself. I take longer to return emails, floors aren’t as clean.

Are there any Apps, organizing tools or strategies that you use to help to keep things scheduled?

Lindsey:    No, anyone have suggestions? I use Outlook calendar. My mind used to be enough, but I can’t keep it straight anymore!

Joel:    Thank you very much for your time and comments today for #MNMOtv. When can people see you on @kare11 again?

Lindsey:    Just started my weekend w Fri/Sat off, but I’ll be back Sunday at 10pm. M-Th for 5/6pm. Thank you so much.

Thank you for your thoughtful questions and devotion to the Twitterverse. #MNMOtv Have a beautiful weekend!

Interview took place on April 3,2013.

Hello everyone and @emilyengberg! Today were going to learn about Emily and her work with @TwinCities_Live. Lets begin!

Emily    Hello! @JoelECarlson Thanks for having me!!!

Tell us a little bit about your background to start off with. Where did you grow up and what did you enjoy doing?

Emily:    My hometown of Burlington, IA is a historic town right on the Mississippi River. Lots of time spent on the river.

Loved going to watch the @BurlingtonBees, the minor league baseball team.That’s why I love the @StPaulSaints so much!

Fun fact: My hometown is also known for having the crookedest street in the world.Lombard in San Fran is the curviest

Sounds like a fun time!  So when did you decide to get into TV, and how did you get started?

Emily:    I’ve always known I would work in TV. Have loved it since I was a kid.

I used to convince my classmates to do projects with a TV theme…usually with me anchoring. :)

Even had a “talk show” in middle school during home room called “Yak it up with Emily”.

Went to @ASU‘s Walter Cronkite School and took internships in TV and radio. Got lots of hands on experience.

Then, moved to small market and did every job. Awesome experience that teaches you a lot about yourself and the biz.

Good to know early what you want to do. How did you get started after schooling and when did you start at @kstp?

Emily:    I have a news background. After AZ, worked in IA, IL, WI and have now been here for 3 years. Loving lifestyle tv!

Hard to believe it has been 3 years at @twincities_live. Love coming to work! Never know what I’ll be up to!

Did you connect well right off the bat with @ElizabethRies and the now departed, John Hanson? #GoodChemistry

Emily:    Thank you! @elizabethries and I got along really well right away. Same thing with John. We really are buddies.

We have a hard working group of folks that work on the show and it’s a bonus that we enjoy each other’s company!

I bet it was hard for you and @elizabethries to say #GoodBye to John. Now you’ll get to make a new friend/co-host. :)

Emily:    It was tough to see John go, but @elizabethries and I are happy for him. The search continues for the new co-host!

The new host will have big shoes to fill, but we are excited about what’s to come. Change can be good.

With all of the stunts/traveling that you’ve done for @TwinCities_Live, what have been some of your recent favorites?

Emily:    I have had so many amazing experiences on @twincities_live. I get to try some crazy things.

I’ve hidden in trash cans, dangled from the @GuthrieTheater’s stage, been a goalie for the @Minnesota_Swarm...

I’ve even had knives thrown at me! The list is endless. Scary sometimes, but always memorable.

But I have to say my favorite is meeting all sorts of people in MN. They are so sweet.

The traveling isn’t bad either. Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Bahamas and Wine Country in May with TCL fans! I’m grateful.

Your personality makes all of it fun to watch. :) When you’re not on TV, what do you like doing in the #TwinCities?

Emily:    Thank you! I laugh a lot. It’s a great gig.

When I’m not working, I love to check out all the great restaurants the cities have to offer.

You can usually find me at a concert or sporting event. We have so much to do here! Never boring.

Are you a crafty, cook or sports minded person?

Emily:    Love sports. Definitely not crafty and you don’t want me to cook. But I’m a lot of fun!!!! :)

Joel:    Thank you so much for your time today! Have fun on @TwinCities_Live, and keep up the good work! :)

Emily:    Thank you!!! Always a pleasure!!! Be sure to watch @twincities_live at 3! Have a great day.

Good morning everyone! It’s snowing in MN, but lets focus on what’s new with @ShayneWellsMSP of @BUZN1029.

Good morning! :) So share us a little bit about your background. Where are you from and how did you get into radio?

Shayne:    Morning! Well more like afternoon when you get up at 4am! I’m a Washington St. native. Came to MN from CA in 2010.

Moved to MN 4 a job as an entertainment reporter at KARE 11. Switched 2 radio, @buzn1029 last May where I do mornings

What made you get into TV/radio, and what’s been the biggest adjustments for you between the 2?

Shayne:    As a kid I was giving weather forecasts 2 my fam. TV news was a passion. As I looked to try a new industry radio..

radio, seemed like the perfect fit. Still broadcasting, lots of fun, interviews, and I love music, always have.

Good to know your passions and have fun on the job! Where does MSP rank for country music markets?

Shayne:    not sure honestly. We’re a good sized city with a ton of country music lovers & we draw the biggest artists & sell out.

Who are some of your favorite country artists, and what are some places you’d recommend fans check out in the TC’s?

That is, places that offer the country music vibe.

Shayne:    I have a ton of faves, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, The Civil Wars, Lady A.

the casinos around here get in some great artists! Plus, you can make a day trip out of it. Win Win.

Any good places you’d recommend for good hats or boots for fans or country music? When’s the next big concert?

Shayne:    RCC Western at the MOA has a lot of options. Also, Cowgirl Tuff at Ridgedale mall.

On your free time, what kinds of things do you enjoy doing? Do you have any favorite restaurants after 3yrs in MN?

Shayne:    I love running, reading and going out to drink and/or eat w/friends. I love the Lowry, Broders, Oceanaire, Brasa, BLG

Joel:    Thanks for you time today on #MNMOtv! Keep up the good work and positive spirit! :)

[Interview conducted on Wed Feb 6,2013]

Good morning everyone! Hopefully you are warm and inside. :) Today’s #MNMOtv guest is @KimInsley of @KARE11. Lets get started!

Kim:    Good morning!

You’ve probably been awake for a few hours already. Do you ever get used to do doing the morning news?

Kim:     You never get used to 1:45am. You just deal with it. (We all do when the alarm goes off, yes?)

I will say, the am news is the most fun– in the sense there is more freedom in a 2hr time frame than 30 min.

That’s true! To get to know you a little better, where did you grow up and what moved you to get into the news business?

Kim:    Grew up in Ashland, OR. Wonderful little town, beautiful area. College town and a theatre town. It is my roots.

I wanted to witness current events. Graduated in journalism – newspaper jobs were scarce, so I turned to TV

It’s been a great opportunity to satisfy my curiosity. I get to witness incredible things.

I bet you do! What areas of the country have you worked in and what’s one of your favorite stories that you’ve covered?

Kim:    Santa Barbara, CA, Portland, OR, Sacramento, CA and the beautiful state of Minnesota!

Fav stories are quirky. One was the 1989 SFO earthquake. Met an elderly woman w/ a 6ft crevice opened near her house

..her big concern was the squirrels had been injured. I like stories where you meet incredible folks of all stripes.

Real people stories off the beaten pat. Those are interesting. When did you come to @KARE11, and what roles have you had?

Kim:    1993 – so it’s been awhile. Job title has never changed. No resume padding for me! Duties have changed w/the business.

The web and social networking are now key to communicating w/”viewers”. We have new ways to move info.

It requires constant training in new tech. and also smart ways to do that. We have so many diff ways to tell a story

Getting info on air: iPhone pics and vid, Skype, Apple TV, Facetime, FTP. The days of driving video to station are gone.

How has the experience of interacting with viewers via social media been going for you? Have you made any friends?

Kim:    Actually, yes. One person has been an inspiration in fitness. Others have become resources for news and community

I don’t go meet folks for coffee, as you have to realized social networking is vast w/people who have many motives.

I need to set a good example for my kids! Still, social networking HUGE in responding to people, connecting

Gone are the days of the deadline being your airtime. The deadline now is as soon as you can confirm the information

With the time that you work, you have a unique schedule. What kinds of things do you like doing when you have time off?

Kim:    Downtime? Not w/kids! I do enjoy whatever workout time I can get. Lately reading by the fireplace. Cooking for sure!

I would love to travel more. I love taking my kids places we’ve never seen.

What are you currently reading, and what kinds of books do interest you? Have you heard of http://www.goodreads.com/?

Kim:    I just finished “Code Verity” — great spy novel in WWII era. Unpredictable. I have too many unfinished books!

Haven’t used http://goodreads.com  Will try! I liked “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed. Also “Under The Tuscan Sun Cookbook”

Have you read “The Swerve: How the World Became Modern” – I love history that takes a deeper look. Another perspective.

I haven’t. You mentioned that you liked to cook. What are your specialties, and where do you like to go when you eat out?

Kim:    Love making soup and pastas. I have a good rigatoni with italian sausage. I’m a Pinterest nut. Great things to try!

Places to eat– haven’t hit the new, hip places in the cities. I know. Sad me. We usually take the family out ..

so visits to Biaggi’s , Spasso. Splurge at Pittsburgh Blue. Will always love Broder’s in SW Mpls.

Joel:    You like your pastas. :) The time went by too quick today, but that’s for being a part of #MNMOtv and sharing some of your life!

Kim:    You are very welcome! Thank you and have a great day!

Hello everyone! If you’ve read a @MNMOmag lately, you’ve probably seen the name @TimGihring, multiple times. Lets learn about him!

Welcome @TimGihring! Tell us a little bit about your background. Where did you grow up, go to school and what interested you?

Tim:    Milwaukee suburbs in the 70s/80s. Neighbors: brewery workers, cops, insurance salesmen. It was like Laverne/Shirley.

In HS a Brit Lit teach asked what I wanted to do with my life. I saw an issue of TIME there and said, write for mags.

Loved the Milwaukee Public Museum, which was/is full of dioramas of buffalo hunts, elephants.. Great place to dream.

Did you write say for the HS paper, or did you take more of a serious approach to writing in college?

Tim:    Wrote for HS paper, was quickly moved to columnist where I wouldn’t have to interview anyone. I called the principal..

I’d called the principal at home when she was throwing a party to ask about an ice rink. She was not thrilled.

My HS column got me into a different kind of trouble after calling the basketball players pituitary cases.

The column was a mix of opinion, serious commentary, and outright fiction. Not unlike a magazine, perhaps.

At the U’s J school, I was getting bad grades for using too many adjectives and metaphors. So I decided to go into..

I studied advertising. Joined the U’s Ad Club. Was set to be a copywriter until I graduated and was hired by the AP.

You definitely like to “stir the pot”. So what led you to come to MN from WI and work for @MNMOmag? The weather? :)

Tim:    Learned about MN from Dylan bios, was fascinated by Dinkytown. First week here I tracked down his old pals.

Also, WI/MN reciprocity: back in the day, I paid far less in tuition to go to the U than MN students.

This was in the early 90s, and the West Bank hadn’t changed that much since Dylan’s day. Saw where he came from.

I’d quit the AP in ’99 to travel (India) and first started working for @MNMOmag in ’00.

What kinds of things did you cover for @MNMOmag when you first started? Has the magazine biz changed much since then?

Tim:    First thing I wrote for @MNMOmag: an essay about visiting Laurie Ingalls Wilder museum with a Japanese friend.

Visiting from Japan, all she wanted was to visit Walnut Grove. Buying souvenirs turned into a major culture clash.

Wrote about a Hmong pastor who disappeared in Laos. Rural auctions. Judy Garland Festival in Grand Rapids.

There were tears, apologies, and some pewter Little House figures. That essay led to my full-time hiring

Mags have less room now, fewer pages, tighter budgets, thus less room to play.

5 years ago, you’d decamp outstate for three days to report, fly to Mexico, etc. Not since the recession.

That said, mags still offer the best opportunity for storytelling, in words/pics that I can think of @MNMOmag

When you’re not writing a story or doing research, what do you like to do, or where do you go to relax in the TC’s?

Tim:    I show photography at Studiopolis in the Northrup King Building. XC skiing when I can: Wirth Park is my backyard.

Sparks is my local resto. Shopping at BlackBlue. The Cedar, Fitz.

Also subscribe to ridic # of mags: New Yorker, Nat’l Geo, Smithsonian. I’m a serial subscriber.

Joel:    I know that you’ve got to be going, so thank you for your time and sharing some of your thoughts on #MNMOtv today! Take care. :)

Tim:    Thanks, Joel!

Hello to all of the #MNMOtv followers and to our guest, @Rachel_Slavik of @wcco TV. Lets get started and learn about Rachel!

Rachel:    Good morning, Joel!

To begin, tell us about where you grew up and how you got interested in journalism.

Rachel:    I grew up in Mound. I kind of fell into journalism during the end of my freshman yr. I needed a major and picked Journalism

I lucked out because I loved it! That could have gone horribly wrong

Did any local journalists mentor you at all? Where did you get to intern while in college?

Rachel:    No one in college, but very early in my career I was lucky enough to find a mentor in @boydhuppert. He’s become a great friend.

I interned @wcco, @WISCTV_News3, and at NBC15 in Madison

Nice! At what point did you KNOW that journalism was for you? Got any unique stories that you’ve covered?

Rachel:    I think I knew right away. It’s a fun job, for the most part. Every day I do something new.

I recently got to hang from a helicopter while flying over Afton State Park. I’d call that unique!

That sounds fun. What kind of stories do you focus on, and are you the primary reporter for @wcco #SATmorning?

Rachel:   I really am a general assignment reporter, so I can’t really say I focus on one area. I do a lot of crime stories.

Yep, I am the reporter for the Saturday morning show. But during the holidays schedules are a bit crazy.

You, @JamieYuccas and @Matt_Brickman seem to have too much fun for it to be work. :) Are mornings hard though?

Rachel:    We have a ton of fun! No, I’m a morning person. I have no problem waking up early. I prefer it

But only on the weekends :)

I get it. So during your #OffHours, what kinds of things do you enjoy doing? (Ex. reading, shopping, movies, etc.)

Rachel:    Running, spending time with friends, sampling the many fine restaurants around mpls, playing with my dog.

When it comes to running: 5k, 10k or marathons? Streets or around the lakes? Do you do any winter running?

Rachel:    half/full marathons. I love running around the lakes, but I also run on a treadmill. I read. My nook helps pass time.

What books are on your Nook right now? Do you watch movies at all on it? What #MNrestaurants have you tried lately?

Rachel:    Hunger Games trilogy, The Help, Mark Rosen’s book, to name a few. Just tried Tilia. Love! Bachelor Farmer…prefer Tilia.

I do love movies, but not in the theatre. I prefer waiting until I can order them on my DVR. It’s cheaper too.

What makes for a good restaurant to you? On the menu, are you more of a meat or a vegetables eater?

Rachel:    Fun atmosphere, interesting menu. If they can make something taste good that I normally wouldn’t eat, I call that a win.

I have to have my protein. I tend to ignore the veggies. I know, that’s bad.

As a runner, you definitely need your protein! To close, what ‘s 1 thing you’d like to accomplish in the next year?

Rachel:    I want to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I need 2 cut1.5 hours off PB time. It’ll be difficult, but a big accomplishment.

Good goal. Thanks Rachel for your time and Tweets on #MNMOtv today. Have a great day, and get a good scoop! :)

Rachel:    Thank you! Good talking to you. Have a great day.

Chris Stanford is a reporter and anchor for WCCO-TV in the Minneapolis/St. Paul television market. Chris primarily covers stories relating to consumer products, but he also covers the latest current news going on in the community.

How and why did Chris get interested in working in the news business?  Any interesting stories that stand out to him in his career?  When he’s not working, what kinds of things does Chris enjoy doing?  If he wasn’t cover the news or consumer products, what would he be doing? Get to know Chris from this 3-part interview with him.

In Part 1 of his interview, he shares what he first wanted to be when he grew up, how he got interested in journalism and reporting the news. Learn also where he got started in the news business.

In Part 2 of Chris Stanford’s interview, he talks about his start as a journalist in Wisconsin. He then talks about coming to WCCO and discusses the kinds of story ideas he’s sent from businesses and PR firms to cover.  He shares one company’s interesting subject line in an email that was for a new kind of bathroom product.

In the Part 3 of the Chris Stanford interview, he talks about his favorite sport, favorite thing to do when he has free-time, his perfect meal and what goal he has for himself.