‘The Donna Drake Show: Live It Up!’ is now airing in 10 of the nation’s 20 largest media markets. #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos has the scoop.
The Donna Drake Show: Live It Up! has been cleared in the Philadelphia television market on a CBS owned-and-operated station, marking a major milestone for the independently produced series and expanding its national reach to nearly 90 million television households —
approximately 25 percent of the U.S. population.
The Philadelphia clearance represents the show’s 10th placement within the nation’s top 20 television markets. The station — WPSG-TV Channel 57 — also reaches Southern New Jersey, which includes the Atlantic City region, further extending the program’s East Coast footprint.
Philadelphia is among the largest television markets in the country, making the expansion a significant achievement for a show that is entirely self-syndicated. The Donna Drake Show: Live It Up! is now airing on 10 CBS owned-and-operated stations, placing it among one of the few — and possibly the only — independently syndicated programs with that level of national broadcast presence.
Since launching in April 2009, the show has remained on the air continuously for more than 17 years, building a loyal and growing audience. Over the course of its run, the program has featured more than 18,000 guest interviews, spanning celebrity entertainers, sports legends, journalists, authors, medical professionals, innovators, entrepreneurs, and regional and local business leaders who are driving change in their industries. Drake noted that the figure reflects a mix of full interviews, panel discussions, and shorter segments.
“The Donna Drake Show: Live It Up!” is a weekly television and digital series focused on hope, motivation, and resilience, spotlighting stories of perseverance and success. Past guests have included Jay Leno, Howie Mandel, Mel Brooks, Tony Bennett, Gloria Estefan, Mike Tyson, Michael Strahan, Henry Winkler, and many others.
Beyond broadcast television, the show maintains a robust multi-platform presence. Episodes stream 24/7 in 25 countries through platforms including Binge, YouTube, and Footprint. Audio versions of the program are repurposed as podcasts and distributed across major platforms such as iHeart and Spotify.
The show is produced by Drake Media Network, Inc., and is recorded primarily at Drake Media Studios in Melville, Long Island — a grid-lit professional production space located in the former WLNY-TV studio, where Drake launched her New York television career in the late 1990s.
Guests regularly travel to Long Island to appear on the program, an element Drake says has helped spotlight the region as a growing media and production hub.
Donna Drake, the show’s creator, host, and executive producer, describes the series as a “feel-good” program rooted in encouragement and connection.
A former high-school cheerleader, she often jokes that she has simply traded pom-poms for a microphone — cheering on brands, people, and causes instead of football teams.
A single mother who took significant personal and financial risks to launch the show in 2009, Drake sold personal assets to fund the endeavor, guided by a clear vision and belief in the concept. She credits encouragement from television icon Regis Philbin and actor, producer, and director Steve Buscemi for inspiring her decision to self-syndicate — a path that gave her creative control and
allowed the show to grow organically.
In addition to profiling entrepreneurs and professionals, nonprofit organizations are regularly featured on the program, reflecting Drake’s belief that service and community engagement are core to the show’s mission.
Over the years, the audience has grown alongside the program, with Drake increasingly attuned to the challenges facing today’s viewers. She frequently addresses issues affecting the “sandwich generation” — adults balancing careers, caregiving for aging parents, and raising children — while offering content designed to inform, uplift, and inspire.
Drake Media Network, Inc. has earned two Telly Awards and a United Nations Global Citizenship honor. In addition to The Donna Drake Show: Live It Up!, the company produces Toys of Our Lives, hosted by Matt Nuccio, as well as other video content designed to educate, entertain, and drive positive change.
With its expansion into Philadelphia and continued national growth, The Donna Drake Show: Live It Up! continues to build momentum — proving that an independently produced, mission-driven program can thrive on the biggest stages in American television.
To learn more about Donna Drake, follow her on Instagram.
