Media outlets throughout Minnesota are on the decline, and the public’s understanding of local issues is suffering as a result.

To call attention to the growing crisis, a newly formed nonprofit — True North News Alliance — hosted a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol on Tuesday, April 7. Dozens of journalists, elected officials, media organization representatives and concerned citizens gathered in the rotunda to hear from speakers committed to reversing the troubling trend.

According to Charlie Weaver, project manager for the Metro Nonprofit News Network (MNNN) and executive director of the Minnesota Daily, more than 90 local news outlets have closed in the state since 2018.

“This loss averages out to roughly 10 to 15 closures every year, and most of those losses are community newspapers — outlets that have served their towns for decades, sometimes more than a century,” he told the crowd. “This is a slow erosion of local news and infrastructure. And while news outlets are emerging … the consequences of those losses are real. When local news disappears, civic participation declines, municipal accountability erodes, community trust weakens and polarization rises.”

Carver County Local News (CCLN) was launched in 2024 in response to the closure of two southwest metro newspapers closing — the Chaska Herald (established in 1862) and the Chanhassen Villager (established in 1987). CCLN is a member of the MNNN and the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), which are working collaboratively to create a reproducible template for emerging local media organizations.

Yengyee Lor, True North News Alliance steering committee chair, opened the morning rally by explaining that the advocacy group is bringing together media organizations, state officials, educators and community partners to help communities reconnect with constituents when traditional news outlets shutter.

“We believe every community in Minnesota deserves access to trustworthy, relevant and community-rooted information,” she said. “This coalition exists because the need is real. Across Minnesota, local news organizations and community-rooted media outlets are doing deeply important work, often with limited resources and growing challenges.”

Lor said alliance members are working closely with state legislators to find solutions to the local news crisis. Among the organization’s 2026 legislative priorities are a journalism workforce development bill, a Minnesota civic seal program for high school students, and a government advertising proposal to support of media outlets.

Two state legislators — Rep. Wayne Johnson (R-District 41A) and Sen. John Marty (D-District 40) — indicated there is bipartisan support for efforts to help media outlets survive and thrive.

Rep. Johnson is a co-author on a bill that would fund internships at local newspaper, digital, radio and television organizations.

“Hopefully we can get this through so we have a plan and a path going forward,” he said, “because the worst thing we could do is let our newspapers fade away.”
Sen. Marty said he was encouraged to see newspaper, digital and broadcast professionals working together toward a sustainable future.

“This is what we need if a democracy is to survive, if our communities are to thrive,” he told the crowd. “So please, keep your work up.”
Steve Grove, chief executive officer and publisher of the Minnesota Star Tribune, said it was unusual for news organizations to be on the stage “talking about ourselves.”

But these are extraordinary times that require a collaborative approach to solving financial issues facing news outlets, he noted.

To highlight the challenges, Grove said the nation has lost 75% of its local journalists in the last 20 years. In Minnesota, 35% of all newspapers have closed in the past 10 years and 65% of newspaper journalism jobs have disappeared, he added.

“We (the Strib) used to print 600,000 newspapers in our printing plant,” he said. “Today, we print about 65,000 … so about 10%. That is how rapidly this ecosystem has shifted.”

News organizations now rely more on digital content, Grove said, but trustworthy news outlets are losing ground against artificial intelligence engines that give readers an answer right away.

“We lose attention span to disinformation artists and fake news organizations that pretend like they’re covering what’s happening,” he continued. “They are not.”

He urged state legislators to continue working with media outlets and nonprofit organizations to develop a new model for local news support.

“We have to do new things if we want a different result,” he said.

He said several states — including Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland and California — have passed laws to incentivize the hiring of more reporters and to encourage businesses to advertise in local news organizations.

“We face a challenging future, but I’m optimistic, in part because we’re here today,” Grove told the crowd. “There’s a great coalition working together. I think it’s essential to the future of democracy in Minnesota.”

Weaver said efforts to sustain local news is critical to maintaining healthy communities across Minnesota. When local news disappears, he said, partisanship grows.

“Because when people lose access to local fast, fact-based reporting, they default to national narratives, and national narratives are often built for conflict, not community,” he said. “Local news does the opposite. It informs, it grounds, it connects.”

Weaver joined those urging the Minnesota Legislature to help local news outlets survive and thrive.

“If we want a more informed, a more engaged, a less polarized Minnesota, a stronger Minnesota, then we must invest in the systems that make that possible,” Weaver said.

Several speakers focused on efforts to boost journalism training for the next generation, plus support for media outlets serving underrepresented communities.

How Can You Help?

Carver County Local News has seen steady growth in subscription numbers over the past year and a half, but more area residents are encouraged to subscribe so the news outlet can become financially sustainable. The online news operation is run exclusively by volunteers at this time, but CCLN leaders hope to hire journalism professionals soon to continue the work.

To sign up for a free subscription and receive daily news updates geared toward the southwest Metro Area in your email inbox, visit the CLLN website.

Readers can also donate to support the local news organization covering Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria and Carver.