Over 100 days into the second Trump administration, the threat to journalism has never been clearer. It is no surprise that journalists are at odds with the president who said the press were the “enemy of the American people,” but the reality of this crisis is nonetheless sobering. In a political climate where the two sides are so divided they cannot agree on basic facts or science, journalism ought to facilitate open communication and check against the misuse of power. Instead, journalists have become the target of political retaliation.
Nationally, President Donald Trump has gone after a myriad of publications. NPR and PBS are being defunded, and the president is seeking to “eliminate” CNN and MSNBC’s parent agency. Meanwhile, the Associated Press is still not allowed in the White House, and Trump has made countless verbal accusations and threats against journalists and newspapers alike.
Locally, independent publications are crowded out as polarized national media takes over citizens’ reading diet. A 2024 University of Minnesota study found that since 2018, Minnesota has lost 12% of its independently owned publications. Meanwhile, regional branches of larger media corporations, like Fox News and ABC, have flourished. In practice, that means that even journalism covering local news can follow national polarization trends.
In this environment, conservative outlets who fail to defend the right risk losing their audience, their advertisers, and their financial viability, while left-wing outlets are pushed further away from the center. Journalism becomes the agent of political agendas instead of a mechanism for accountability.
When polarization worsens within the media, both readers and publications become vulnerable to misinformation as the loss of centralized information puts even inconsequential details into question. That means that both readers and publications have the obligation to hold themselves to a higher standard—reading and citing outlets from across the political spectrum, fact-checking new information, and prioritizing direct sourcing is essential.
In the face of this crisis, it is the local media that needs to step up. As trusted members of their communities, local journalists have more room to counter polarization because of their connections to the region they serve. Opposing beliefs are much easier to process when they have to do with tangible political change in local communities, like mayoral elections and school board debates. Factual local reporting is therefore the best buoy against polarization.
Local media is made all the more important considering it is smaller publications that are threatened first by Trump’s attacks. The federal government has already moved to rescind funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a nonprofit which funds local news stations across the country. Here in Minnesota, the CPB gave over $17 billion in grants in 2024, all of which went towards local public media.
As student journalists, we understand the importance of local journalism while possessing the unique privilege to be comparatively insulated from financial attacks. Zephyrus is committed to avoiding the pitfalls of polarization and misinformation. We affirm our obligation to cover local news as often and comprehensively as possible and ensure that we are a reliable source for our own community first and foremost. We have and will continue to publish reports on our own school board’s meetings, conduct interviews with administrators at Edina High School, and cover breaking developments in EHS. Moving forward, Zephyrus seeks to develop press conference events for administrators, school board officials, and local politicians.
Never before has local journalism simultaneously been thrust into such importance while also being under siege. Zephyrus remains steadfast in our dedication to serving the Edina community.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on May 8, 2025
