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A newsroom mobilizing in a time of crisis is a sight to behold. From the moment the Minnesota Star Tribune had word of the attack on Minnesota legislators and their spouses early Saturday morning, reporters from across the state mobilized to find out what was happening. The Strib has a lighter staff on the weekends, but when news breaks, it instantly becomes everyone’s job to discover and tell the story.
The same happened at every newsroom in the area. From TV to radio to online news organizations, Minnesota’s journalism community quickly produced the most comprehensive source of information available on the assassinations and subsequent manhunt.
Journalists have long been trained to run toward conflict, rather than away. But it’s different when you’re a local news organization and those affected are your neighbors, friends or, as in last Saturday’s tragic case, public figures you’ve spent countless hours covering. Yet getting the story right is precisely what public service journalism is designed to do.
It’s more important today than ever before because in the digital age, misinformation spreads fast. Not only are our journalists working to get the story right by verifying sources, updating information and, yes, correcting mistakes. They’re also beating back viral claims by bad actors who rush to fill the void with disinformation that serves their interests.
Sometimes we’ll publish entire stories that fact-check viral claims. Other times, our reporters engage directly on the very platforms that spread misinformation.
Last week, when claims circulated that the suspect had close political ties to Gov. Tim Walz, reporter Walker Orenstein engaged on X to set the record straight. When people started claiming the assassination was due to Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman’s views on immigration, Ryan Faircloth — who has covered this issue throughout the legislative session — pushed back with the truth and context.