04/08/2026
“We all understand the importance of connecting and how the media is the way we connect with our communities, know what’s happening with our neighbors, know what’s happening in our state, our country, our world. We’re seeing so many challenges in the news media now, economically making things work. We’ve understood since the founding of the nation the importance of this. When the US Postal Service was created, our nation’s founders intentionally gave cheaper rates to the only way we had of communicating news, which was periodicals, much cheaper rates so they could afford to thrive. We’ve got to hang on to what we have, and we have to inspire the new sources of media that are coming around. That’s what’s so exciting – to see everybody working together,” said District 40 Senator John Marty, a Democrat, during the Local News Rally at the Capitol on April 7, 2026. He observed, “Just to show how frightening the times can be, the Washington Post has always had as a tagline for the newspaper: ‘Democracy dies in darkness.’ … Jeff Bezos has decided he’s going to lay off most of the staff, and, in fact, he’s turning off the lights. … And that’s why it’s so essential, not only that we hang on to what we have, but also we find new ways to bring media to others and the local community, things in Eden Prairie and Woodbury and so many other communities, along with the broadcasters, public broadcasters, everybody together. …
“I’m just so thrilled to see everybody working together, because we have a common interest in making our democracy thrive and making our communities thrive, and so keep up the good work. Keep working together.”
