Aug. 11 webinar to discuss how the loss of community newspapers threatens democracy

At an Aug. 11 webinar, three veteran journalists will discuss how the loss of community newspapers in Minnesota (and elsewhere) threatens democracy. Participants will learn about the struggles of small Minnesota papers, the pivotal role they play in democracy, how their loss hurts the community, and what others can do to support local journalism.

The webinar is organized by West Central Initiative and sponsored by the Bush Foundation. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Featured panelists will be:

• Lisa Hills, executive director of the Minnesota Newspaper Association
• Art Cullen, editor and publisher of The Storm Lake Times in northwest Iowa
• Reed Anfinson, publisher and owner of the Swift County Monitor-News in Benson, Minn., The Stevens County Times in Morris, Minn., and the Grant County Herald in Elbow Lake, Minn.