True North News Alliance calls for investment in local news

Minnesota coalition of journalists and advocates rally at State Capitol to highlight importance of local media as civic infrastructure

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:51pm

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A serene, nostalgic painting of a lone newspaper stand or newsbox on a city street, its surfaces reflecting warm, golden light and deep shadows, conveying the importance of local journalism in the community.A rally at the Minnesota State Capitol calls for public investment in local news, a vital civic infrastructure often overlooked in the digital age.Eden Prairie Today

The True North News Alliance, a statewide coalition of journalists, civic and newsroom leaders, and community advocates, gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol on April 7 for a rally calling on lawmakers to invest in local news as essential civic infrastructure. Speakers highlighted the stakes, noting that since 2018, 97 local news outlets have closed across Minnesota, leaving communities with fewer resources to stay informed, hold institutions accountable, and connect.

Why it matters

The rally aimed to raise awareness about the critical role local news plays in building informed, connected communities. With the decline of local media outlets, communities risk losing access to trusted, fact-based reporting that grounds them in local issues and events. The True North News Alliance is advocating for legislative priorities to support local journalism and civic information as essential public goods.

The details

The rally brought together a diverse coalition of digital startups, civic organizations, TV stations, print newsrooms, local elected officials, ethnic and multilingual media, business organizations, and community members. Speakers included Charlie Weaver of the Metro Nonprofit News Network, True North News Alliance Chair and 3HBC Host Yengyee Lor, Minnesota Star Tribune CEO Steve Grove, state legislators, and representatives from the African American Leadership Forum and ThreeSixty Journalism.

  • The True North News Alliance rally took place on April 7, 2026 at the Minnesota State Capitol.
  • The Senate State and Local Government Committee will hold an informational hearing from the True North News Alliance on April 9, 2026 at 12:30 p.m.

The players

True North News Alliance

A statewide coalition of journalists, civic and newsroom leaders, and community advocates in Minnesota.

Charlie Weaver

Publisher at the Minnesota Daily, the University of Minnesota's student newsroom, and executive director of the Metro Nonprofit News Network (MNNN).

Yengyee Lor

Chair of the True North News Alliance and host of 3HBC.

Steve Grove

CEO of the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Sen. Heather Gustafson

Minnesota state senator.

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What they’re saying

“Healthy communities require healthy local news. Not as a luxury, not as a legacy product, but as essential civil infrastructure, and infrastructure just as critical as roads, schools, public safety and public health.”

— Charlie Weaver, Publisher, Minnesota Daily; Executive Director, Metro Nonprofit News Network

“Local media is civic infrastructure. When we invest in it, we protect trusted information, strengthen community voice, and make sure Minnesotans stay connected to the issues shaping their lives.”

— Yengyee Lor, Chair, True North News Alliance

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

— Charlie Weaver, Publisher, Minnesota Daily; Executive Director, Metro Nonprofit News Network

What’s next

The Senate State and Local Government Committee will hold an informational hearing from the True North News Alliance on April 9, 2026 at 12:30 p.m. to discuss why Minnesotans see local news and civic information as essential infrastructure.

The takeaway

This rally highlights the growing recognition that local news is a critical public good that requires investment and support to ensure communities have access to trusted, fact-based reporting. As local news outlets continue to decline, the True North News Alliance is advocating for legislative action to protect and strengthen local journalism as essential civic infrastructure.