BEMIDJI — Lakeland News received a $40,000 Closing Local Coverage Gaps Grant from Press Forward Minnesota.
According to a release, Press Forward Minnesota is awarding a total of $520,000 to 13 organizations.
These grants will support smaller news organizations that provide hyperlocal, original reporting to communities across the state, with a focus on meeting the needs of communities of color, linguistically diverse communities, low-wealth rural communities and others not adequately served, reached or represented.
“We are thrilled to be a recipient of this grant through Press Forward Minnesota, said Lakeland PBS CEO Jeff Hanks in the release. “As we enter into our 27th year of Lakeland News this summer, it is a testament to our viewers that they appreciate and utilize this resource.”
Awardees were selected through a rigorous process to represent diverse media outlets that serve communities across the state, from the Iron Range to the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Funders of the Press Forward Minnesota Grant include McKnight Foundation, Bush Foundation, the Glen Nelson Center at American Public Media Group, the MacArthur Foundation and the Taylor Family Farms Foundation.
“Our viewership continues to grow, especially on our digital platforms, which just goes to show how necessary local news coverage really is,” added Hanks in the release. “As a nonprofit public media station, our resources are limited so this recognition and support is going to have a large impact on our News Team and we are grateful to Press Forward Minnesota in recognizing the value that we offer.”
Lakeland News is a free resource. Viewers can stay connected by tuning in to Lakeland PBS weeknights at 10 p.m., watch on demand on the free PBS App or check out the latest stories at
lptv.org.
