Forum Communications Company

Forum Communications Company
Company typePrivate
IndustryTelevision, 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+
Websitewww.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.

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

  • 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.
  • JobsHQ is an online recruitment and digital advertising company focusing on employers and recruitment in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

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

State City Call sign Channel Network
PSIP RF DT-1 DT-2 DT-3 DT-4 DT-5 DT-6
North Dakota Fargo WDAY-TV 6 21 ABC True Crime Network Independent Ion Television Ion Plus Grit
Grand Forks WDAZ-TV 8 8 ABC True Crime Network Independent Ion Television Ion Plus Grit
Bismarck KBMY 17 17 ABC True Crime Network MyNetworkTV Ion Television Ion Plus Court TV
Minot KMCY 14 14 ABC True Crime Network MyNetworkTV Ion Television Ion Plus Court TV
South Dakota Sioux Falls KSFL-TV 36 36 Independent
Rapid City KNBN 21 21 NBC MyNetworkTV/

YTA TV

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References

  1. ^ a b c Moline, Melva (1978). The Forum: The First Hundred Years. Forum Publishing Company.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "Forum Communications Company". ForumComm.com. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "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. ^ a b "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.