Manuscripts Collection
The Minnesota Press Council, founded in 1971, was created at the December 4, 1970 directors' meeting of the Minnesota Newspaper Association to mediate disputes between the public and the press. At the first meeting of the board (March 24, 1974) the council was organized to include 18,024 members, half of whom would come from the mass communications media and the other half from the public. The council consists of twelve media representatives and twelve individual citizens. Cameron Blodgett served as executive director from 1977 to 1984, succeeded by Thomas Patterson. In 1977 the name was changed to the Minnesota News Council to reflect the inclusion of the broadcast media. The council is the only such state organization in the country. A National News Council functioned from 1973 to 1984.
Historical information was taken from the collection.
Administrative records include articles of incorporation and bylaws, mission statements, minutes, correspondence, annual reports, topical reports, financial records (especially fund raising materials), brief committee files, and newspaper and magazine clippings. Although the administrative records are incomplete, they contain much information on the activities of the council.
Of particular interest are files, including audio and video tapes, which document the council's public service announcements program. Made for radio and television distribution, these announcements were recorded by the high-profile personalities of Hodding Carter, Harrison Salisbury, and General William C. Westmoreland. The newspaper clippings and magazine articles (1971-1991) detail the activities and formation of the Minnesota News Council and also contain information on the media in general.
The majority of the collection consists of 137 mediation case files covering a wide
range of complaints against Minnesota newspapers, magazines, and broadcast media.
The files include information on news reporting of political events and issues such
as homosexuality (no. 51), abortion and birth control (nos. 135, 144, 441), teen
pregnancy (no. 1050), opposition to the Minneapolis Metrodome (nos. 199-200),
fluoridation of Brainerd's water system (no. 35), and other topics. Complaints from
individuals who were subjects of news stories; from city councils and other
municipal entities; and from real estate firms and other commercial establishments
are also common. A majority of the complaints were issued against the major twin
cities daily newspapers:
Also included within the mediation files are files detailing the Council's grievance procedures and reports summarizing the Council's casework.
Access to financial records less than ten years old requires written permission. Please contact the reference staff for more information on access to these materials.
Quotation or publication, beyond the fair use provisions of the copyright law, of anything in or based on the restricted records requires written permission. For further information concerning copyright status and/or permission to publish, please contact the reference staff.
Accession Number: 14,858
Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, April 29, 1993; Monica Manny Ralston, March 1999
Catalog ID number: 09-00037931
Includes name changes (1980) and bylaws amendments (1992).
Access to, use and/or reproduction of anything in or based on financial records less than 10 years old requires written permission.
Includes materials generated by the Development and Membership Committee and the Public Information Committee.
Includes correspondence and an audio cassette of a broadcast program which featured Cameron H. Blodgett.
Includes correspondence and others papers related to the Council's mediation role in a California complaint.
The case files in this collection are a sample derived from a much larger (9 cubic feet) set. Selection methodology was as follows: (1) all cases upon which MNC formally acted or in which it mediated were retained; (2) all files thicker than 0.5 in. were retained as they document cases in which the complainant pressed the grievance; and, (3) every 20th file was retained to provide a sample of the large number of cases that did not extend beyond an initial contact with MNC.
The case files are arranged in chronological order and are listed by their individual case title.
Includes procedural rules as well as the Council's summaries of cases heard during 1983, 1986, and 1988.
A report prepared by Pamela S. Fanning of the University of Minnesota's Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law. The report includes a brief description of each case and its final determination by the council. Also included are statistical tables on case disposition, subject matter, issues, and similar data.
See also: Case No. 502.