Forum Communications Company

J.P. Dotson officially founded the company in May 1913,^[2] a year after acquiring the Fargo Forum.^[3][4] He sold the company in April 1917 to Norman B. Black,^[5] who managed it until his death in January 1931 at age 65.^[6] His son Norman D. Black succeeded him as publisher,^[7] and his widow Jenny C. Black served as company president until her death in August 1951 at age 81.^[8]

In August 1955, Norman D. Black died of a sudden heart attack at age 57.^[9] He was then succeeded by his son, Noman D. Black, Jr.^[10] After he died in September 1969 at age 56,^[11] his son in law, William C. Marcil, succeeded him.^[12] In September 2010, Marcil retired and was succeeded as president and CEO by his son, Bill Marcil, Jr.^[13]

In November 1912, the Fargo Forum was sold at public auction to J.P. Dotson, editor of the Crookston Times, for $52,500.^[3][4] In May 1913, The Forum Publishing Co. was incorporated with Dotson as president.^[2] In April 1917, Dotson sold the business to Norman B. Black, former general manager of the Grand Forks Herald, for over $100,000.^[5] Black's family and his descendants have owned and operated the company ever since.^[14][1]

In November 1954, Forum acquired the Moorhead Daily News,^[15] and in June 1957 merged it into the Forum.^[16] 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;^[17] the FCC approved the sale a year later.^[18] In October 1979, the West Central Tribune was acquired.^[19] In December 1984, William "Bill" Marcil, Sr. acquired majority company ownership.^[20] In May 1985, the Detroit Lakes Tribune, Park Rapids Enterprise and Becker County Record were acquired.^[21] In November 1985, Forum sold KSFY-TV, KABY-TV and KPRY-TV, all in South Dakota, to the News-Press & Gazette Company for $10 million.^[22]

In December 1989, the Wadena Pioneer Journal was acquired.^[23] In January 1990, the Alexandria Echo Press was acquired.^[24] In November 1992, Marcil Sr. renamed the parent company to Forum Communications Co.^[25] Forum acquired The Dickinson Press, Mitchell Daily Republic and Worthington Daily Globe from Thomson Newspapers in July 1995;^[26] The Bemidji Pioneer in January 1997,^[27] The Jamestown Sun from Hollinger Inc. in October 2000,^[28] the Grand Forks Herald, Duluth News Tribune, Superior Telegram, Lake County News-Chronicle, Cloquet Pine Journal and Duluth Budgeteer News from McClatchy in June 2006,^[29][30] and Rochester Post-Bulletin in May 2019.^[31]

In January 2021, Forum sold subsidiary RiverTown Multimedia to O’Rourke Media Group in January 2021. The sale included the Red Wing Republican Eagle and Hudson Star-Observer. RiverTown previously published six other papers, but closed or merged them.^[32]

In November 2022, Forum purchased KWSD and sister station KCWS-LD from Jim Simpson, for $1.4 million;^[33] the sale was completed on February 21, 2023.^[34] In August 2024, Forum acquired KNBN and KWBH-LD, both of Rapid City, South Dakota, from Jim Simpson (Rapid Broadcasting Company), bringing those stations and KSFL-TV back under common ownership.^[35] In January 2026, Forum 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.^[36] That April, the McKenzie County Farmer was acquired.^[37]

On July 23, 2026, it was announced that Nexstar Media Group's CBS affiliates in seven markets would switch to digital subchannels owned by Hearst Television and Forum Communications (for the North Dakota stations) effective August 1.^[38]

• 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:

• Agweek is based in Fargo, North Dakota and merged with Agri News based in Rochester, Minnesota, and provides a weekly print magazine, a weekly TV show, a weekly podcast and daily agricultural news online.^[39]
• Bison Media Zone based in Fargo, North Dakota, covers North Dakota State University football team and other athletics with multiple livestream events, TV shows, podcasts and online news with hosts and sports journalists Dom Izzo, Jeff Kolpack and Eric Peterson.^[39]
• Dakota Spotlight is based in Fargo, North Dakota as a true crime podcast working to uncover the truth about unsolved cases in the region.^[39]
• 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.^[39]
• Northland Outdoors covers outdoor sports stories and news focusing on the upper Midwest with Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin online news.^[39]
• On The Minds Of Moms is based in Fargo, North Dakota and provides a bi-monthly print magazine and online news for today's modern family.^[39]
• The Rink Live covers hockey news and information with a focus on collegiate hockey throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin with a podcast and online news.^[39]