Forum Communications Company

Last updated

Forum Communications Company
Company type Private
Industry Television, Advertising, Broadcasting, Newspaper, Internet services
Founded1878
Headquarters101 5th Street North, ,
Key people
Bill Marcil, Sr., Chairman
Bill Marcil, Jr., President, CEO and Publisher
Number of employees
800+
Website www.forumcomm.com

Forum Communications Company is an American multimedia and technology company headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. With multiple online and print news brands throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, Forum Communications offers local news in a variety of digital and broadcast mediums in addition to various niche media brands covering specialty interests.

Contents

The company also owns four television stations in North Dakota, all affiliated with ABC, and an independent television station and NBC affiliate in South Dakota. Additional offerings are commercial printing services and business services.

Leadership

William "Bill" Marcil, Sr. is the current chairman of the board for Forum Communications Company, who is married to the great-granddaughter of the founder, Norman B. Black. [1] [2]

Daily operations are overseen by William "Bill" Marcil, Jr. as the president and chief executive officer of Forum Communications Company as well as the publisher of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead . [2]

History

Forum Communications Company began publishing its flagship newspaper The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead in 1878 and is currently owned and operated by the Marcil-Black family. [1] [2]

Today, Forum offers multiple newspaper and multimedia journalism brands across four states in the upper Midwest along with several commercial printing facilities, TV broadcasting and business services. [2]

On January 3, 2021, Forum announced it had sold RiverTown Multimedia to O’Rourke Media Group. The sale included the Red Wing Republican Eagle and (Hudson) Star-Observer. RiverTown previously published six other papers, but closed or merged them. [3]

On November 23, 2022, it was reported that Forum would purchase Sioux Falls, South Dakota YTA TV affiliate KWSD and sister station KCWS-LD from Jim Simpson, for $1.4 million; [4] the sale was completed on February 21, 2023. [5] Forum intends to create a third television news operation in the Sioux Falls market. [6] On February 24, 2023, KWSD changed its call sign to KSFL-TV; several weeks later, it switched its affiliation to Ion Television and upgraded to high-definition operations for the first time since its 2012 departure from The CW. On January 1, 2024, KSFL-TV dropped Ion and became an independent station.

On August 14, 2024, it was announced that NBC/MyNetworkTV affiliates KNBN and KWBH-LD, both of Rapid City, South Dakota, would be sold by Jim Simpson (Rapid Broadcasting Company) to Forum, bringing those stations and KSFL-TV back under common ownership. [7]

Commercial

The following print and digital newspapers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, and North Dakota are part of the Forum Communications news network:

Other media

Television stations

StateCityCall signChannelNetwork
PSIPRFDT-1DT-2DT-3DT-4DT-5DT-6
North Dakota Fargo WDAY-TV 621 ABC True Crime Network Independent Ion Television Ion Plus Grit
Grand Forks WDAZ-TV 88 ABC True Crime Network Independent Ion Television Ion Plus Grit
Bismarck KBMY 1717 ABC True Crime Network MyNetworkTV Ion Television Ion Plus Court TV
Minot KMCY 1414 ABC True Crime Network MyNetworkTV Ion Television Ion Plus Court TV
South Dakota Sioux Falls KSFL-TV 3636 Independent
Rapid City KNBN 2121 NBC MyNetworkTV/

YTA TV

----

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fargo, North Dakota</span> City in North Dakota, United States

Fargo is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. The population was 125,990 at the 2020 census, which was estimated to have grown to 133,188 in 2023, making it the 218th-most populous city in the United States. Fargo, along with its twin city of Moorhead, Minnesota, form the core of the Fargo–Moorhead metropolitan statistical area, which had a population of 248,591 in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jefferson Lines</span>

Jefferson Lines is a regional intercity bus company operating in the United States. Their operations serve 14 states in the Midwest and West.

<i>The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead</i> Daily newspaper in Fargo, North Dakota

The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead or more recently The Forum is an American, English language newspaper. It is the major newspaper for Fargo, North Dakota and the surrounding region, including Moorhead, Minnesota. It is the flagship and namesake of Forum Communications. The Forum, as it is commonly known, is the primary paper for southeast North Dakota, and also much of northwest Minnesota. Its average daily circulation was about 47,100 on Sundays and 37,500 on Saturdays prior to reducing its print schedule to semi-weekly. The Fargo Forum was first published on November 17, 1891 by Major A. W. Edwards. However, it traces its lineage to The Republican, which had been founded by Edwards in 1878 and merged into the Forum in 1894.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVLY-TV</span> TV station in Fargo, North Dakota

KVLY-TV is a television station in Fargo, North Dakota, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside KXJB-LD, a low-power CBS and CW affiliate. The two stations share studios on 21st Avenue South in Fargo; KVLY-TV's transmitter is located near Blanchard. In addition to its main studio in Fargo, KVLY-TV operates a news bureau and sales office in the US Bank building in downtown Grand Forks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVRR</span> Fox affiliate in Fargo, North Dakota

KVRR is a television station in Fargo, North Dakota, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. Owned by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company, the station maintains studios on South 40th Street and South 9th Avenue in Fargo, and its transmitter is located near Tansem, Minnesota. KVRR also handles master control and some internal operations for sister station and fellow Fox affiliate KQDS-TV in Duluth, Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Area code 218</span> Area code for northern Minnesota

Area code 218 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the northern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is assigned to the largest of Minnesota's original two numbering plan areas (NPAs), although its geographical boundaries have been modified since inception. It comprises roughly the northern half of the state, and includes the cities of Duluth, Hibbing, Brainerd, Bemidji, Fergus Falls, and Moorhead.

<i>Duluth News Tribune</i> Newspaper in Duluth, Minnesota

The Duluth News Tribune is a newspaper based in Duluth, Minnesota. While circulation is heaviest in the Twin Ports metropolitan area, delivery extends into northeastern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The paper has a limited distribution in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The News Tribune has been owned by Forum Communications since 2006.

Aberdeen American News is a newspaper in Aberdeen, South Dakota, published by Gannett of McLean, Virginia. It is published four days a week, Tuesday through Friday.

<i>Post-Bulletin</i>

The Post-Bulletin is an American newspaper and news website based in Rochester, Minnesota. Postbulletin.com provides community coverage seven days a week with a print product two days a week: Tuesday and Saturday. The Post Bulletin also publishes an e-Paper seven days a week.

KSFL-TV is a television station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. It is owned by Forum Communications Company alongside low-power station KCWS-LD. KSFL-TV's studios are located on West 57th Street in Sioux Falls, and its transmitter is located in Rowena.

The Northern League was a name used by several minor league baseball organizations that operated off and on between 1902 and 1971 in the upper midwestern United States and Manitoba, Canada. The name was later used by the independent Northern League from 1993 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVBR</span> Radio station in Brainerd, Minnesota

KVBR is a radio station broadcasting a news talk information format. Licensed to Brainerd, Minnesota, United States, the station serves the Brainerd Lakes area. Founded in 1964 by the Persons family, the station is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., and features programming from USA Radio Network.

<i>Brainerd Dispatch</i>

The Brainerd Dispatch is a daily morning newspaper published in Brainerd, Minnesota. The newspaper was founded on December 22, 1881, and became a daily paper in 1883. In April 2004, the Dispatch became a morning paper. In July 2020, the publication switched to twice-a-week printing and delivery. The paper is owned by Forum Communications. The paper is published by Pete Mohs.

St. Cloud Times is an American, English language daily newspaper headquartered in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The Times is owned by mass media holding company Gannett and is part of the USA Today network of newspapers. The print version of the paper is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota and International Railway Trestle at Blackduck</span> United States historic place

The Minnesota and International Railway Trestle at Blackduck in Beltrami County, Minnesota was the longest timber trestle in the state. It was built in 1901 and 1902 by the Minnesota and International Railway, a subsidiary of the Northern Pacific Railroad, on a line between Koochiching and Bemidji, Minnesota, where it met a branch line of the parent railroad running north from Brainerd. The bridge carried the railroad over Coburn Creek and a difficult marsh in Blackduck and was noted for its considerable length and intact substructure when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places 2014.

The Bemidji Pioneer is an American, English language newspaper headquartered in Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minnesota. It was founded in 1896 and is currently owned by the Forum Communications Company out of Fargo, North Dakota.

The Globe is an American, English language newspaper headquartered in Worthington, Minnesota. The Globe serves Noble County, Minnesota and the surrounding areas. It was founded in 1872 and is currently owned by the Forum Communications Company of Fargo, North Dakota.

The Park Rapids Enterprise is an American, English language newspaper headquartered in Park Rapids, Minnesota, serving Hubbard County, Minnesota and the surrounding areas. It was founded in 1882 and is owned by the Forum Communications Company of Fargo, North Dakota.

The Perham Focus is an American, English-language newspaper headquartered in Perham, Minnesota. It serves east Otter Tail County, Minnesota and the surrounding areas. It was founded in 1882 and is currently owned by the Forum Communications Company based in Fargo, North Dakota.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Moline, Melva (1978). The Forum: The First Hundred Years. Forum Publishing Company.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Zaleski, Jack (2018). Forum Communications Company: A Narrative History 1980 - 2018. Forum Publishing Company.
  3. Hunter, Julia (January 3, 2021). "O'Rourke Media Group buys RiverTown newspapers". Wisconsin Newspaper Association. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  4. "Assignments". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  5. "Notification of Consummation". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  6. Ellis, Jon (November 23, 2022). "Forum to Buy Independent TV Station in Sioux Falls, Launch News". Northpine.com. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  7. "Assignments". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. August 14, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 "Forum Communications Company". ForumComm.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "2022 Minnesota Newspaper Association Directory" (PDF). Minnesota Newspaper Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2022.
  10. "Alexandria Echo Press". EchoPress.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  11. "The Bemidji Pioneer". BemidjiPioneer.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  12. "Brainerd Dispatch". BrainerdDispatch.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  13. "Detroit Lakes Tribune". DLOnline.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  14. "The Dickinson Press". DickinsonPress.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  15. "Duluth News Tribune". DuluthNewsTribune.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  16. "InForum". InForum.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  17. "The Globe". DGlobe.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  18. "Grand Forks Herald". GrandForksHerald.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  19. "The Jamestown Sun". JamestownSun.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  20. "The Mitchell Republic". MitchellRepublic.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  21. "Park Rapids Enterprise". ParkRapidsEnterprise.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  22. "Perham Focus". PerhamFocus.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  23. "Pine Journal". PineJournal.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  24. "Pine and Lakes Echo Journal". PineAndLakes.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  25. "Post Bulletin". PostBulletin.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  26. 1 2 "Forum Communications launching new St. Cloud news operation". Sioux Falls Live. January 24, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  27. "Forum Communications expanding to Sioux Falls with TV station acquisition". Sioux Falls Live. November 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  28. "Superior Telegram". SuperiorTelegram.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  29. "Wadena Pioneer Journal". WadenaPJ.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  30. "West Central Tribune". WCTrib.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.