Reader Tom Huyck shared his correspondence with the Minneapolis Star Tribune on the Air America scandal with us. Tom wrote:

Re: http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001012171

Hi Rene,

Does the Star Tribune intend to cover the Air America scandal and its Minnesota connection (Al Franken)?

If not, why not?

Thanks, Tom Huyck

He received this response:

Dear Tom,

We are looking into this story and may write about it soon. We often rely on stories from the Associated Press or others new organizations for stories developing outside of Minnesota, but there's little to find to this subject there.

Rene

Tom comments:

The Star-Tribune could use a fancy investigative journalism technique, like a phone call to Al Franken for his reaction/explanation.

Which goes to show, I guess, the growing importance of the Associated Press as newspapers around the country cut back on their national and international news coverage. But the Star Tribune has reported on Al Franken's status as a likely candidate for the United States Senate from Minnesota in 2008. On what conceivable theory is the fact that the network that serves as his launching pad into the political arena, Air America, apparently got off the ground, in part, by improperly siphoning off public funds from a nonprofit organization, not a significant local story?

Posted by John at 09:02 PM  |    |