Forum Communications Company

Forum Communications Company is an American multimedia and technology company headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. Forum owns multiple print, online, and broadcast brands throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, in addition to various niche media brands covering specialty interests.

Forum has multiple newspaper and multimedia journalism brands across four states in the upper Midwest along with several commercial printing facilities, TV broadcasting and business services. The company also owns four television stations in North Dakota, all affiliated with ABC and an 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]

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]

In 1913, The Forum Publishing Co. was incorporated with J.P. Dotson as president.[3] In 1972, the company purchased KSOO-TV of Sioux Falls and KCOO-TV of Aberdeen. At that time a subsidiary called Forum Communications, Inc. was created to manage its radio and television stations;[4] the FCC approved the sale a year later.[5] In 1984, William "Bill" Marcil, Sr. acquired majority ownership.[6] In 1992, he renamed the parent company to Forum Communications Co.[7]

In July 1995, Forum purchased three daily papers from Thomson Newspapers. The sale included The Dickinson Press, Mitchell Daily Republic and Worthington Daily Globe.[8] In December 2010, Marcil, Sr. retired and was succeeded as publisher and CEO by his son, Bill Marcil, Jr.[9]

In January 2021, Forum sold subsidiary 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.[10]

In November 2022, Forum purchased YTA TV affiliate KWSD and sister station KCWS-LD from Jim Simpson, for $1.4 million;[11] the sale was completed on February 21, 2023.[12] Forum intended to create a third television news operation in the Sioux Falls market.[13] 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.[14]

On January 14, 2026, the company announced it had acquired seven newspapers from Wick Communications. The deal included The Daily Journal in Minnesota; Wahpeton Daily News, Hankinson News Monitor and Williston Herald in North Dakota; Capital Journal and Madison Daily Leader in South Dakota; and Sidney Herald in Montana.[15]

Print and digital news

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

Alexandria Echo Press based in Alexandria, Minnesota, serves Douglas County, Minnesota, Todd County, Minnesota, central Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Echo Press was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1990.[2][16][17][18]

The Bemidji Pioneer based in Bemidji, Minnesota, serves Beltrami County, Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Bemidji Pioneer was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1997.[2][16][17][19]

Brainerd Dispatch based in Brainerd, Minnesota, serves Crow Wing County, Minnesota, central Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Brainerd Dispatch was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2010.[2][16][17][20]

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][16][17][21]

The Dickinson Press based in Dickinson, North Dakota, serves Stark County, North Dakota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Dickinson Press was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1995.[2][16][22]

Duluth News Tribune based in Duluth, Minnesota, serves St. Louis County, Minnesota, greater northeast Minnesota, Lake County, Minnesota, The Boundary Waters and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Duluth News Tribune was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2006.[2][16][17][23]

The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead (known as InForum.com for online news) based in Fargo, North Dakota, serves Fargo, North Dakota, Moorhead, Minnesota and West Fargo, North Dakota including Cass County, North Dakota, Clay County, Minnesota, greater eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. It is the original flagship news brand of the Forum Communications Company.[1][2][16][24]

The Globe based in Worthington, Minnesota, serves Nobles County, Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Globe was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1995.[2][16][17][25]

Grand Forks Herald based in Grand Forks, North Dakota, serves Grand Forks County, North Dakota, Polk County, Minnesota, greater eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Grand Forks Herald was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2006.[2][16][26]

The Jamestown Sun based in Jamestown, North Dakota, serves Stutsman County, North Dakota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Jamestown Sun was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2000.[2][16][27]

The Mitchell Republic based in Mitchell, South Dakota, serves Davison County, South Dakota, Hanson County South Dakota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Mitchell Republic was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1995.[2][16][28]

Park Rapids Enterprise based in Park Rapids, Minnesota, serves Hubbard County, Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Park Rapids Enterprise was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1985.[2][16][17][29]

Perham Focus based in Perham, Minnesota, serves Otter Tail County, Minnesota, central Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Perham Focus was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2000.[2][16][17][30]

Pine Journal based in Duluth, Minnesota, serves Cloquet, Minnesota, Carlton County, Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Pine Journal was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2006.[2][16][17][31]

Pine and Lakes Echo Journal based in Brainerd, Minnesota, serves Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, Crow Wing County, Minnesota, central Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Pine and Lakes Echo Journal was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2014.[2][16][17][32]

Post-Bulletin based in Rochester, Minnesota, serves Olmsted County, Minnesota, greater southeast Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Post Bulletin was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 2019.[2][16][17][33]

St. Cloud Live based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, serves Stearns County, Minnesota, Benton County, Minnesota, and Sherburne County, Minnesota with online news. It was launched by the Forum Communications Company in 2022, with former reporters from the St. Cloud Times being hired as a part of the website launch.[34]

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.[34][35]

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][16][36]

Wadena Pioneer Journal based in Wadena, Minnesota, serves Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Wadena County, Minnesota, central Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The Wadena Pioneer Journal was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1990.[2][16][17][37]

West Central Tribune based in Willmar, Minnesota, serves Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, central Minnesota and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and online news. The West Central Tribune was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1980.[2][16][17][38]

type	Private
key people	Bill Marcil, Sr., Chairman Bill Marcil, Jr., President, CEO and Publisher
foundation	1878
hq location	101 5th Street North
hq location city	Fargo, North Dakota 58102
hq location country	United States
num employees	800+
industry	Television, Advertising, Broadcasting, Newspaper, Internet services
homepage	http://www.forumcomm.com

Forum Communications Company

Leadership

History

Commercial

Print and digital news

Other media

Television stations

References