There are moments when local journalism is suddenly thrust onto a global stage, not by ambition but by circumstance. As immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota drew national and international attention, The Minnesota Star Tribune found itself once again reporting a deeply local story with global consequences. That spotlight brought urgency, scrutiny and responsibility — not just inside the newsroom, but across the entire organization.
Chris Iles, vice president of communications and brand marketing, described the moment as unavoidable. “This was the right moment to say this because it’s just a plain and simple fact,” he said. “As I was getting incoming requests from media outlets across the globe to talk to our incredible journalists to get a sense of what’s going on on the ground here in Minneapolis… organizations like The Atlantic, like Poynter, like The New York Times, like NPR… like BBC across the pond.”
At the same time, the newsroom was already deep into live, around-the-clock reporting. Greg Mees, deputy managing editor, said the attention reflected readers’ reliance on The Star Tribune as a primary source. “We’re seeing people from around the world coming to our coverage, citing our coverage as the primary source on this story,” Mees said. “Our coverage has been live around the clock, 24/7 almost, bringing this live information to our audience.”
Inside a newsroom under pressure
For Mees, national attention brings both validation and weight. “A little bit of both,” he said when asked whether the moment felt like pressure or affirmation. “It is a fact, and we’re seeing that in terms of our numbers and how many people are coming to us just for reliable information on the ground of what’s happening here.”
That responsibility requires a newsroom designed for endurance, not just breaking moments. “We have been live on this story since it really began in mid-December,” Mees said, emphasizing that coverage didn’t stop once headlines moved elsewhere. “We live here, we cover this, and we will be continuing to cover this well beyond the breaking news moments.”
Maintaining that coverage requires protecting journalists in real time. Mees described extensive safety protocols for reporters and photojournalists working in fluid situations. “We have invested a lot of time into making sure that all of the reporters, all of the photojournalists who could potentially be out in a very fluid situation have PPE,” he said. “That’s everything from masks and helmets to vests.”
Beyond physical safety, the newsroom relies on constant coordination. “Anytime somebody is going out into the field, structures are set up in place to make sure that editors who are back in the newsroom know exactly where people are,” Mees explained. “People have to check in; people have to share their location on their devices.”
Objectivity when emotions run high
The Star Tribune’s coverage comes amid heightened fear, emotion and misinformation — conditions that test journalistic discipline. Mees returned to a familiar philosophy when asked how the newsroom maintains objectivity. “Our most important role in this moment is to be the grounding place that people can come to for the facts, for the information and get away from the noise,” he said.
Speed, Mees noted, does not replace verification. “Yes, we want to make sure that we’re getting information out to the public in a timely manner,” he said. “But we’re also making sure that we are very careful that we are verifying every piece of information before it gets published.”
That commitment to restraint is intentional. “People who come to us can trust that we have verified information before we’re publishing,” Mees said, adding that editorial judgment remains central even when misinformation spreads faster than facts.
Brand strategy that gets out of the way
While the newsroom focused on reporting, the corporate side faced its own challenge: how to support journalism without influencing it. Iles was blunt about the line his team draws. “Where we sit within that is we get out of the way,” he said. “We have some of the best reporters in the world here at The Minnesota Star Tribune.”
The role of communications, Iles explained, is not to steer coverage but to ensure audiences understand why it matters. “As a marketer, there are really three things we’re all competing for,” he said. “People’s discretionary time, people’s discretionary attention, and ultimately people’s discretionary income.”
The answer to why this coverage mattered, he said, was straightforward. “Why is this worth my time? Why is this worth my attention? Why is this worth my money? And in this case, the answer’s really simple — it’s because the world is watching.”
Access as a civic decision
That philosophy shaped concrete business decisions. The Star Tribune lifted paywalls on live blogs, expanded article gifting and leaned into donations. “This is absolutely a critical moment for our state and our nation,” Iles said. “We knew that a lot of the content that we were putting out was going to be inaccessible to a lot of people.”
The decision to open access was deliberate. “We made the decision to lift the paywall on the free live blog,” Iles said, describing it as “one of the best sources of accurate, factual, verified information on what is actually happening on the ground here.”
At the same time, the organization empowered subscribers to help distribute journalism. “We lifted any limits on article sharing because we need people to know what is happening in this state,” Iles said. The move extended to families as well. “We introduced a new family plan as people were telling us, ‘Look, I want my family to understand what is going on here.’”
Local journalism’s long tail
For Mees, national attention does not change the newsroom’s core responsibility — it reinforces it. “We’re here when the national outlets leave,” he said. “This is our community.”
That perspective shapes coverage beyond breaking moments. “It’s really important in these moments to make connections with sources and to be able to find the stories that are going to have a longer tail,” Mees said, pointing to impacts that unfold over time. “That can be everything from community impact to legal ramifications to money.”
Local journalists, he emphasized, are uniquely positioned to tell those stories. “Being able to pull all of those threads and continue to tell that story for the long haul — that’s one of the most important things that I think any local publisher can do.”
Advice for the next newsroom in the spotlight
Both leaders offered guidance for other publishers who may find themselves under sudden national scrutiny. Iles urged preparation before a crisis strikes. “Set yourself up now to be prepared, and be flexible and nimble,” he said. “Put systems, people and processes in place that allow you to turn on a dime just like the news does.”
Mees focused on supporting journalists through relentless coverage. “Recognizing that the staff is going to need support — and how you best divide and conquer — is really important,” he said. “These stories are relentless, and they take a lot of time and careful consideration.”
Why this moment matters
Looking ahead, Mees hopes the coverage reinforces journalism’s public-service mission. “The local stories are best told by local journalists,” he said. “Our mission at its core is public service — making sure that the public is informed about what is happening where they live.”
Iles framed the moment in broader terms. “Local journalism has never been more imperiled, and at the same time, it’s never been more important,” he said. “I hope that this is a moment where people come together and realize the essential value of journalism and the role that it plays in our society.”
When the world is watching, both men made clear, the work does not change — only the stakes do.
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