Patrick Coolican

Is the Fourth Estate Dead?

Or is journalism fledging a new golden age of independence

The editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Reformer discusses the current state of the media, and how news outlets that focus on fairness, honesty, and rigorous reporting can help restore public trust in principled journalism.

An interview in the series: “Restoring Trust in Our Minnesota Institutions”

March 24, 2026

Panelists: Paul Ostrow, Paul Gilje, Hasini Guntipalli, Feven Tesfaye, Janis Clay

Summary

Patrick Coolican argues that although the news media market has declined, journalism is very much alive and in the process of redefining itself. Technology has empowered the media by giving everyone a voice, which entails a downside as well, since the public is now more vulnerable to fake news, and skepticism towards the legacy news media is on the rise. For Coolican, credibility today is based less on being neutral and more on being truthful, reporting ethically, and serving the public interest.

Background

Coolican is the editor-in-chief at the Minnesota Reformer, a nonprofit, independent, news outlet focused on state politics and policy. He previously worked at the Minnesota Star Tribune, as a capitol reporter. He was named Journalist of the Year by the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists in 2025. The Reformer is part of a national nonprofit news network devoted to covering government in every state.

Discussion

“We are returning to an era of image and folklore. I don’t think that’s compatible with a complex, liberal democracy.” – J. Patrick Coolican

In today’s partisan climate, can any news outlet be universally viewed as objective and balanced?
Coolican says that expecting complete objectivity is a difficult standard to achieve and may even be undesirable, due to the emergence of disinformation. There is open and explicit disinformation in our political discourse now that even 15 years ago would have been considered beyond the pale. President Trump has skillfully used disinformation to gain political followers and power. Journalists are faced with a quandary: truthful reporting may lead to losing audience members who have been deceived by false messages. Instead of seeking everyone's approval, journalists should build trust through continuous honest reporting.

Does the media contribute to political polarization?
Coolican does not blame the media for polarization. The reality is that political actors, themselves, often incite division among the people on their social media feeds, and journalists are, in many cases, only covering what is going on.

“The First Amendment has protected our activity, and so we must give something back by fulfilling the role of government watchdog,” Coolican says.

How has the news media landscape changed?
The internet has made it possible for almost everyone to publish content, thereby broadening representation and access. It has democratized media. However, it has removed traditional gatekeeping, which has resulted in a great abundance of unverified reporting. Although this democratization of information is generally positive, a side effect is that it is challenging for people to figure out which reports are accurate versus misinformation.

“At the Reformer, we are not trying to be all things to all people. We are trying to be a little more adversarial and confrontational, because we thought that was missing to a degree. We try to build credibility by being intellectually honest, using ethical news-gathering guidelines. The media is in a strange spot because there has been a concerted, well-funded effort to undermine the credibility of mainstream media for decades.

Can nonprofit journalism replace the failing traditional news model?
Due to the collapse of the traditional news media business model – especially the loss of advertising revenue – nonprofit journalism is becoming an option, with the Minnesota Reformer being one example. Nonprofit news organizations focus on serving the public rather than on making a profit. They typically grant the right to republish their work for free, which comes as a great support to small local news outlets.

Local newspapers are declining; why does it matter?
Local newspapers are speedily disappearing across the U.S. There are half as many print journalists today as 20 years ago. And there is emerging evidence that when communities lose their local newspapers, they get more public corruption, higher taxes, and government that is less accountable. “If no one is watching, people will try to get away with stuff,” Coolican says. The Reformer is trying to help these smaller newspapers that don’t have political or capitol coverage by allowing all of its stories to be reprinted for free. Dozens of papers across Minnesota are doing so every week.

Philanthropy is stepping up to help solve the traditional news ecosystem collapse. Nonprofits are the fastest-growing media segment. Some people have suggested the government should support news outlets, but Coolican thinks that could stymie journalism’s watchdog role or subject it to the whims of whoever is in power.

Meanwhile, the current vacuum has been filled by social media. The majority of people get their news from social media. But Coolican says that sort of news is largely unsubstantiated, and is loaded with pure gossip. It's toxic.

“We are returning to an era of image and folklore. I don’t think that’s compatible with a complex, liberal democracy.”

How can trust in journalism be rebuilt?
The only way to rebuild trust in journalism is by being honest, following ethical standards, and regularly holding those in power accountable through investigating and reporting. “We can only be trusted by what we produce,” Coolican says.

“The reason I left the Star Tribune is because they weren’t doing the kinds of work that I thought needed doing.”

How can people stay informed today?
It is good to be a sceptical, educated media consumer. Coolican suggests reading a mix of newsletters from various sources. He points out that it is impossible for one news source to cover everything, so having a diversified "media diet" is important. His includes Axios, MPR, Minnesota Reformer, Star Tribune emailed newsletters. And nationally, either the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times.

Is the Minnesota Reformer part of a national network?
The Reformer is part of a national nonprofit called States Newsroom, with operations in 39 states and partnerships in the other 11 states. The premise is to operate small politics and policy news outlets in state capitals because that is where the decisions are being made that most influence people’s lives. A lot of states had completely lost capital news coverage. “We wanted to fill those gaps and we have,” Coolican says. Minnesota is different, because we still have robust capital coverage from a variety of news outlets, so the Reformer is playing a different role, uncovering unique government stories.

How do we create demand for the right kinds of news information – to engage young people in caring about public policy?
Coolican says this is an important focus. We need to improve literacy rates and education significantly, so young people enjoy reading and lifelong learning. We need to be careful about technology in the classroom. He says watching 500 short-form videos a day is not good for you or your brain. It’s not going to create capable news consumers, and it’s not going to foster good citizens. AI is basically out-sourcing cognition. 

What is the future of news consumption?
He worries about the decline of literacy, the dependence on very short forms of information, and the upsurge of AI-generated summaries. These, he says, may lead to a decrease in critical thinking and informed citizenship. A flourishing democracy requires responsible and thoughtful consumption of news.

How do we restore trust amidst the current media landscape?
Intellectual honesty and rigor. Going after stories based not on who might be affected politically but on their potential important impact on Minnesotans. A couple indicators that readers can look for to know a story is trustworthy are that it includes viewpoints from all relevant sides, and it names the source (including links) of all data or statistics it cites. All assertions are attributed to a source; they are not made by the reporter.

The Reformer started in 2020 just as Covid hit. How did the pandemic shape your work?
Everything in the world has gone terrible since then, Coolican says. We went from Covid to George Floyd. Then came the 2020 election, the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the 2024 election, then Operation Metro Surge, and the assassinations of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. It’s been nonstop. We weren’t set up to report from the street, but we adjusted.

Final thoughts

Journalism is not vanishing, Coolican says, it is changing its character, becoming more fragmented and contested. The decline of trust in the news media is a fact, and we cannot expect the solution to be a step back to the old days. We must respond to the changing circumstances with a firm dedication to truth, accountability, and serving the public interest.