The Mary Hanson Show

Awards

The show has won recognition at the local, state and national level.  Some of the awards include:

  • Minnesota Medical Association Media Award for Excellence in Medical Journalism (3 years)
  • Minnesota Psychiatric Society’s top award for Excellence in the Media 
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Minneapolis Telecommunications Network
  • C.A.R.E. Award, Mental Health Association in Hennepin County (given annually to one individual recognized for efforts in promoting mental health in the Twin Cities community)
  • Metropolitan Community Churches first annual Perry Award for “making the community a better place”
  • Minnesota Education Association School Bell Award for Best In-depth Television Program
  • Best Talk Show, Minneapolis Television Network
  • Teddy Award for Excellence, Rogers Cablesystems
  • National Federation of Local Cable Programmers competition finalist
  • Minnesota State Cable Communications Board Award for Excellence
  • Minnesota Council on Health Certificate of Achievement
  • Hall of Fame (for Mary from Central High in Aberdeen, SD)



                                              Feedback from Press and Guests


“Mary Hanson is probably Twin Cities access television’s first authentic celebrity.”
- Star Tribune

“The Mary Hanson Show is the longest running community show in the state as well as one of the most influential.” 
- Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine

The archetypal and multiple-award-winning Mary Hanson Show, the longest running community-access program in the state (it has aired weekly since 1980), is a virtual model for the community-information talk-show format with topics ranging from “Sentencing Guidelines” to ”Kids and Exercise.”
- City Pages

“Hanson…(is) a pioneer in local programming…
- Twin Cities Reader

“The interview with Mary was easily, by any standard, the best interview I have had apropos the book.”
- the late James Shannon, former President of St. Thomas & Ex. Dir. of the General Mills Foundation

 “Mary is the most skillful interviewer.  She made me feel so comfortable.” 
- the late Governor Elmer L. Andersen

“Mary Hanson is one of the best interviewers in the business.  There are two kinds of people in the world -- 
those who have been on The Mary Hanson Show and those who want to be."
- Michael Osterholm, U. of Minnesota epidemiologist

"I just want to tell you that I have been interviewed by so many people around the country and abroad
and abroad and your interview was by far the best."
-Ellen Kennedy, Founder and Executive Director of World Without Genocide

“To say that The Mary Hanson show renders a valuable service is almost an understatement.”
- Cy Schelly, past Vice-President, Campbell-Mithun

“Mary Hanson is one of the best interviewers in the country.”
- Richard Leider, author of The Power of Purpose

“Mary Hanson does her homework, is everyone’s favorite interviewer and a great civic asset.”    
- Tony Bouza, former Minneapolis Chief of Police

“I was most impressed…by the penetration of Mary’s questions.”
- Tom Micka, M.D.

“We are going to distribute the tape from my interview to our patients.” 
- Alice Shapiro, Ph.D., Nutrition Research Manager, Health Research Center, Park Nicollet Institute

“KARE 11 News did an “Extra” segment on our school; we have been on Channel 4 and MPR; we were the subject of a Pioneer Press article…there was even a piece in the Ladies Home Journal.  Yet the response from The Mary Hanson Show was significantly stronger than from these other mediums -- combined.”
- Barbara Schmidt, Ex. Dir, of the P.E.A.S.E. Academy

“After appearing recently on The Mary Hanson Show, 25 people, from all walks of life, called, wrote or told me that had seen me on Mary’s show.  I was astonished by her obvious viewership.
- Susan Vass, entertainer

“Mary Hanson is an extraordinary interviewer.  She helped me shine!”
- James Bryer, Ph.D., psychologist

“It was a wonderful interview indeed.  I had such a pleasure talking with you, answering your interesting, vital questions to the point they had to stop me, otherwise I would talk with you all night!”                   
- Stanislaw Skowaczewski, former Director of the Minnesota Orchestra

 “Mary’s questions tend to be penetrating, revealing a depth to her exploration of my work, offering viewers that same opportunity to explore the subject deeply.”
- Sandra Stoltz, Director, Foodaholics Treatment Center

“You did an amazing job with the interview….the student voice is so important and such an overlooked part of the equation when we adults are talking about solutions, so I deeply appreciate that he (teen guest) had the opportunity to speak.  I was thrilled with the structure, too….
- Julie Hertzog, Director, PACER’S National Bullying Prevention Center