The Newsroom

Editor Nancy Barnes

Editor and Senior Vice President Nancy Barnes is responsible for the paper's news content and direction of the newsroom staff of 300. She joined the Star Tribune in 2003 and was promoted to editor in 2007.

Barnes has created a culture of excellence and an environment that values job satisfaction, learning and development. Our readers know they can keep up with what is happening in their communities and in the world by reading the Star Tribune. We break more news than ever. We help local readers understand the implications of national and global developments. We are reaching out to make the paper more relevant to more readers and different kinds of readers.

A "continuous news desk" works constantly to integrate our print and online news report. Online editors work side-by-side with the Page One Editor and other key people in the newsroom to get breaking news on the website immediately. It’s important to let newspaper readers know about related content on StarTribune.com, such as audio or video clips or a database of information related to a high-profile newspaper story. We tell StarTribune.com users about upcoming coverage in the Star Tribune, hoping to entice them to subscribe. Creating better links between print and online keeps our readers involved on more levels – making our company even more vital in their everyday lives.

We have focused efforts to improve investigative work and projects, and to strengthen and enhance coverage of the suburbs, an initiative that has led to the launch of three new weekly community sections.

The Twin Cities are in a vibrant business environment and our pages reflect that. We added a Business Insider section, remodeled Saturday Homes and added a personal finance column for young readers. Those changes and others earned us recognition in the Best in Business awards from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW), which cited us for “overall excellence” among the largest newspapers. We are especially proud of that award because it more typically goes to national papers.

Features is focused on maintaining and enhancing already highly regarded sections: Taste, Travel, Arts and Entertainment, Home & Garden. In 2005, Home & Garden won a Bronze Award from the Garden Writers Association for best overall newspaper product.

Keeping a vigilant eye on standards is a top-notch staff of copy editors. The Star Tribune is a great place to be a copy editor. Our collaborative decision-making process provides copy editors a role on the front end.