The Minnesota News Council Thursday issued a decision narrowly supporting the use of anonymous sources in an August report on DFL finances posted by the on-line publication MinnPost.com.

In a hearing on a complaint filed by DFL Chair Brian Melendez against MinnPost, the Council also ruled 12-to-1 that before MinnPost published its original story, reporter Doug Grow gave the DFL an adequate opportunity to respond to the accusations made, but again split 8-to-5 in favor of MinnPost on the question of whether the publication responded appropriately to the issues raised in the DFL Party’s complaint. More »

The Minnesota News Council denied two complaints against the Morrison County Record by state legislator Al Doty (DFL-Royalton).

Rep. Doty complained to the News Council after the paper published a March 2 story, “Local GOP objects to Doty’s support of gas tax hike.” The Record’s editor and general manager, Tom West, approached Doty for comment “on the gas tax,” but did not tell him it would be used in a news story about Doty’s support of a transportation bill. In an effort to balance a press release issued by Republican leaders in the district, West rewrote the press release to include comments from Doty and the county engineer, as well as additional background information. More »

The Minnesota News Council voted Thursday to deny three complaints against the Duluth Budgeteer News, affirming the paper’s decision to run a Nov. 4, 2007 opinion column critical of Duluth School Board candidate Gary Glass.

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Two complaints by the Minneapolis City Council about a KSTP-TV news story that said the city wrongfully demolished a house in the East Phillips neighborhood were upheld by lopsided votes at a Minnesota News Council public hearing.

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A complaint from three Maplewood city council members that a KSTP-TV news story in July inaccurately reported that the council had stalled progress on an area redevelopment plan was narrowly upheld today by the Minnesota News Council. The vote was 6 to 4.

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A complaint against the Roseau Times-Region newspaper by a city official was denied by the Minnesota News Council. The vote was 8 to 4 with one abstention.

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The News Council denied three complaints by Prior Lake’s former mayor and two city council colleagues against the Prior Lake American newspaper.

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Participants included the complainant, candidate Roy Carlson, and his campaign adviser, Doug Friedline, and responding for the Savage Pacer, Laurie Hartmann, publisher, and Nancy Huddleston, editor.

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Participants included the complainant, Marcia Eland, and Eden Prairie News editor Mark Weber.

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Participants included the complainant, Nancy Barsness and editor/general manager of the Morris Sun/Tribune, Jim Morrison.

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