New owner Glen Taylor: less liberal Star Tribune ahead

A Q&A with new Star Tribune owner Glen Taylor to talk about the purchase. Taylor, a former state senator, says the Star Tribune, which fellow Republicans criticize as liberal, will “have better balance,” aided by veteran staffers retiring -- though the shift has been ongoing and would’ve happened even if he hadn’t bought the paper.

The new owner acknowledging political changes at the state’s largest daily will likely send tremors through Minnesota’s political and journalistic establishment (including the Strib’s newsroom). Asked if the Star Tribune, always regarded as a liberal newspaper, rightly or wrongly, would change under the Republican’s leadership, Taylor responded: “I think it is important in the paper -- and this is where I don’t know for sure, I think the paper is responsible for reporting both sides. I don’t think you can say if you are the news -- and I think the news does this too much.”

He said the decision is made in which reporters are hired, for instance. “Individuals can say I want to give you both sides, or you can have the pros and cons [each giving their side]. My thought is that you are more likely to find two different reporters, one not seeing it from one side and the other not seeing it from the other side, and both of them reporting,” he explained.