Minn. News Council closing after 40 years

The Minnesota News Council is shutting down after 40 years of promoting fairness in the news media.

Council President Tony Carideo says drops in the filings of complaints by the public and in corporate funding are the main reasons. He announced the decision at the Minnesota Newspaper Association convention in Bloomington on Thursday.

Carideo said Friday a reason complaints have fallen is that people who disagree with news coverage now have almost instant recourse on the Internet through comment sections on stories, e-mail and Twitter.

He says most of the state's newspapers have been supportive of the council over its 40 years.

The council's endowment, worth around $270,000, will be transferred to a nonprofit affiliated with the MNA probably will be used to support journalism education and professional training.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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