MinnPost explained

MinnPost
Type:	Nonprofit online newspaper
Founder:	Joel Kramer Laurie Kramer
Editor:	Andrew Putz
Maneditor:	Harry Colbert Jr.
Newseditor:	Tom Nehil
Staff:	Eric Black Peter Callaghan Solomon Gustavo Greta Kaul Walker Orenstein
Headquarters:	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Oclc:	191956532

MinnPost is a nonprofit online newspaper in Minneapolis, founded in 2007, with a focus on Minnesota news.^[1]

Content and format

The site does not endorse candidates for office or publish unsigned editorials representing an institutional position. MinnPost encourages broad-ranging, civil discussion from many points of view, subject to the discretion of a moderator.

Content is "politics, government, science, health, culture" and other subjects including the environment, education and the arts. The non-profit model was estimated to save MinnPost about 15% of a traditional newspaper's outlays.^[2] The format takes its shape from online newspapers. At first, MinnPost published a print version of about eight pages at the lunch hour to high traffic locations.^[3] The print on demand model and print version was discontinued during the newspaper's first year.^[4]

The organization is part of a much-discussed trend away from print toward online media. Quoted by Minnesota Public Radio News, Laurie Schwab, executive director of the Online News Association, said in June 2007, 45 percent of the association's 1,100 members "started working at print publications and migrated online".^[5]

Organization

MinnPost's initial funding of $850,000 came from four families: John and Sage Cowles, Lee Lynch and Terry Saario, Joel and Laurie Kramer, and David and Vicki Cox.^[6]

Personnel

The founding CEO and editor of MinnPost, Joel Kramer, retired in October 2016.^[7] On May 1, 2014, Andrew Wallmeyer joined the staff as publisher, reporting to Kramer.^[8] Wallmeyer was CEO until 2020, when Tanner Curl was named MinnPost's executive director.^[9] Susan Albright was managing editor until retiring in 2021.^[10] Harry Colbert, Jr., previously of North News and Insight News, was named as the new managing editor.^[11]

Andy Putz is MinnPost's editor.^[12] Other news staff include Susan Albright (managing editor), Corey Anderson (web editor), Tom Nehil (news editor), and about 25 journalists.^[13]

According to Editor & Publisher, opinion pieces — called Community Voices — are signed and nonpartisan.

MinnPost has a news bureau in Washington, D.C.

See also

• List of newspapers in Minnesota
• Media in Minneapolis–St. Paul
• Nonprofit journalism

Further reading

• News: Lichterman, Joseph. A club that will have me as a member: Voice of San Diego and MinnPost are building out their membership models . Nieman Journalism Lab. 2014-03-31.
• News: Pérez-Peña, Richard. Web Sites That Dig for News Rise as Watchdogs. The New York Times. 2008-11-17. 2008-11-19.
• News: Schmelzer, Paul. Kramer Sees Good Will for MinnPost, but 'We'll Have to Deliver' (interview). Minnesota Monitor. Center for Independent Media. 2007-08-27 .
• News: Lambert, Brian. Lambert to the Slaughter:Media. The Rake. Rake Publishing, Inc.. 2007-08-27. 2007-08-27.
• News: Lambert, Brian. Twin Cities Editor Planning Online Daily. The New York Times. 2007-08-27. 2007-08-27.
• News: Freed, Joshua (Associated Press). Former newspaper publisher to start online news site. AP Exchange (apexchange.typepad.com). The Associated Press. 2007-08-27. 2007-08-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927202033/http://apexchange.typepad.com/industry_news/2007/08/former-newspa-1.html . 2007-09-27.
• Web site: Cowles, John Jr.. Behind the Curve: Philanthropy Revisited. April 2006. Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. 2007-09-01. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080411160254/http://www.hhh.umn.edu/img/assets/20143/jcowles_behind_curve.pdf. 2008-04-11.
• News: Associated Press. New online newspaper to launch in Minnesota. Minnesota Public Radio. 2007-08-27. 2007-08-27.
• Encyclopedia: MinnPost . Nieman Journalism Lab . Encyclo: an encyclopedia of the future of news . 1 April 2012.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Former 'Star Tribune' Publisher Launches Major Site for Twin Cities . . August 27, 2007 . June 13, 2014.
2. Web site: Old Media Meets New In Minnesota . . August 29, 2007 . June 13, 2014 . Edmonds, Rick.
3. Web site: Former Star Tribune publisher to launch online news site . . August 27, 2007 . June 13, 2014 . McKinney, Matt.
4. Web site: Note to readers: MinnPost.com expands coverage . MinnPost . July 28, 2008 . June 13, 2014 . Kramer, Joel.
5. Web site: Newspaper cuts show increasing power of online alternatives . . June 6, 2007 . June 13, 2014 . Baxter, Annie.
6. Web site: Wyant, Carissa . August 27, 2007 . Cowles, Lynch back Web daily venture . August 27, 2007 . Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal . American City Business Journals.
7. News: Kramer. Laurie. Kramer. Joel. Passing the torch at MinnPost. MinnPost. October 18, 2016.
8. Web site: Andrew Wallmeyer named publisher of MinnPost . MinnPost . April 25, 2014 . June 13, 2014 . Kramer, Joel.
9. Web site: 2020-07-24. Leadership transition at MinnPost. 2022-02-22. MinnPost. en-US.
10. Web site: 2021-09-08. Susan Albright retires from MinnPost; 'The Alpinist' may trigger your acrophobia. 2022-02-22. MinnPost. en-US.
11. Web site: 2021-12-09. MinnPost names Harry Colbert, Jr. as managing editor. 2022-02-22. MinnPost. en-US.
12. News: Kramer. Joel. Andrew Putz named executive editor of MinnPost. MinnPost. June 10, 2014.
13. Web site: Our Staff. 2022-02-22. MinnPost. en-US.