Local news advocates urge state support as outlets decline across Minnesota

Representatives of the True North News Alliance told the Senate Committee on State and Local Government that Minnesota has lost a significant number of local news outlets since 2018 and that many communities now lack a dedicated source of local reporting.

"Local news is vitally important to keep people informed, connected and engaged in their communities," said the group's board chair (a former state senator), who described listening sessions held across the state and urged legislators to support a range of policy tools to bolster local journalism. Testimony cited that since 2018 some 97 local outlets have closed and more than half of Minnesota communities no longer have a dedicated local news source.

Witnesses outlined policy approaches used in other states, including directing a portion of government advertising to local outlets, funding statewide internship pipelines, payroll tax credits for newsrooms, and targeted support for underserved and rural communities. The group asked senators to sign onto bills to create a statewide internship program and to support a high‑school civics media literacy 'civics seal.'

Committee members responded positively and shared local examples of the effects of news deserts on civic participation; members asked officials to continue working on bipartisan approaches to support local outlets and workforce development.