The articles below represent a sampling of some of the more memorable commentary from/on the Minnesota News Council over our almost 40 years of operation. Click on the link to open a pdf file of the article.

2003

Trouble at Times can be helpful in the long run by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
Star Tribune, 09/05/2003

2002

You are editor for the day by David Heiller
Askov American, 01/31/2002

A rare commodity by Jason King
Lakeshore Weekly News, 02/05/2002

News Council denies all five MnDot complaints against Star Tribune
Chatfield News, 09/16/2002

An Open Conversation by the Harwood Institute for National Issues Forum
News Media and Society Issue Book, 2002

2001

Former adversaries could sit side-by-side on News Council by Brian Lambert
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 03/06/2001

Study: Race a subtle issue in coverage of coaches by Ashley H. Grant
Associated Press, 08/30/2001

News Council rules on complaints brought by government bodies by Bastiaan Vanacker
Silha Center Bulletin, Fall 2001

2000

Statewide survey on news consumption conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research
Commissioned by Minnesota News Council, 5/2000

1999

On resistance to news councils by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
International Journal of Press/Politics, 01/1999

False accusations of racism won’t help by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
Unknown source of publication, 1999 (?)

Four journalists (obviously biased) talk about trust and news councils (Minnesota News Council ads)
Unknown sites of publication, 1999 (?)

1998

What newspapers gain from admitting their mistakes by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
Star Tribune, 02/25/1998

A time to think of news councils by Reese Cleghorn
American Journalism Review, 04/1998

The message from Minnesota’s News Council by Elissa Papirno
Hartford Courant, 05/03/1998

1997

Fed up with media? Support news councils by William Rusher
Faribault Daily News, 01/14/1997

Going Public by Alicia C. Shepard
American Journalism Review, 04/1997

Local news media, including TV Big 3, should support News Council by Walker Lundy
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 6/29/1997

News Council Decision by Vicki Gowler
Duluth News Tribune, 08/24/1997

Decision provides debate on ethics by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
Spring Valley Tribune, 08/27/1997

Was letter handled fairly? by Jim Pumarlo
Red Wing Republican Eagle, 08/28/1997

A question of ethics by Jim Hensley
Sleepy Eye Herald Dispatch, 08/28/1997

1996

Nation would be well served by panels like the Minnesota News Council by Steven Dornfeld
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 05/20/1996

Sometimes finding good words to say on public figures wouldn’t hurt media by Steven Dornfeld
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 11/16/1996

Who’s the fairest of them all? by Jane Ammeson
World Traveler Magazine, 12/1996

National News Council would lead to more timid press by John Lansing
Star Tribune, 12/21/1996

Northwest Airlines v. WCCO-TV Cartoon by Kirk Anderson
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1996

1995

Media should make probe into gang violence a priority by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 08/15/1995

The media show how we die, but seldom how we live by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
Star Tribune, 09/08/1995

Major parties criticize ad reform proposal by Michael Fibison
Rochester Post Bulletin, 11/03/1995

Plan devised to clean up political campaigns by Michael Fibison
Minnesota Daily, 11/07/1995

1994

Why don’t we demand more of media and ourselves? by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
Star Tribune, 02/24/1994

Why did one news council fail and the other succeed? by Richard P. Cunningham
Press Regulation Symposium in Seoul, 06/1994

Power of the public is underused in speaking back to the media by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
Star Tribune, 07/03/1994

Prejudicial pretrial publicity threatens justice by Gary Gilson (executive director emeritus)
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 07/19/1994

1993

The Minnesota News Council: the story behind the creation by Louise Williams Hermanson
Oral History Review 21, Spring 1993

News council complainants: who are they and what do they want? by Louise Williams Hermanson
Journalism Quarterly 70, Winter 1993

1990

An unusual quote didn’t require later verification by Lou Gelfand
Star Tribune, 04/22/1990

1987

Letters to editor handlers should follow golden rule of thumb by Ronald D. Clark
St. Paul Pioneer Press, 02/07/1987

1985

Why the Minnesota News Council is alive by Alice Olson
Minneapolis Observer Quarterly, Spring 1985

The News Council: an alternative to libel by Tom Patterson
Minneapolis Observer Quarterly, Spring 1985

Why I think the news council idea is nonsense by Stanley S. Hubbard
Minneapolis Observer Quarterly, Spring 1985

1984

News Council fishes for notice with carp campaign by Steve Massey
St. Paul Pioneer Press/Dispatch, 07/30/1984

1981

News councils attempt to monitor conduct of media by David Shaw
Los Angeles Times, 09/24/1981

1976

The refused ad (editorial)
St. Paul Dispatch, 09/20/1976