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.
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 DakotaYTA 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
Click Content Studios offers marketing services through branded content for traditional and new media platforms.
Forum Communications operates four printing plants in three states: Brainerd and Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and a commercial plant at 4601 16th Ave. N. in Fargo, North Dakota. Commercial printing capabilities include: printing, mailing, fulfillment and various marketing services.
Detroit Lakes Tribune (known as DL-Online for online news) based in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, serves Becker County, Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Detroit Lakes Tribune was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1985.[2][8][9][13]
Sioux Falls Live based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serves Minnehaha County, South Dakota with online news and television broadcasting. It was launched by the Forum Communications Company in 2022, along with the acquisition of KWSD and KCWS-LD from JF Broadcasting LLC.[26][27]
Superior Telegram based in Superior, Wisconsin, serves Douglas County, Wisconsin and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Superior Telegram was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2006.[2][8][28]
NewsMD covers health news and insights from local individuals and independent health professionals as well as news from the Mayo Clinic, Sanford Health, Essentia Health and more.[8]
