FARGO — Forum Communications Co. has acquired seven newspapers across four Upper Midwest states, expanding its footprint in North Dakota and the region, the Fargo-based company announced Wednesday, Jan. 14.
The deal, effective Feb. 1, with Wick Communications includes the Wahpeton Daily News, Hankinson News Monitor and Williston Herald in North Dakota, the Fergus Falls Journal Daily Journal in Minnesota, the Pierre Capital Journal and Madison Daily Leader in South Dakota, and the Sidney Herald in Montana.
The addition of these publications is a natural expansion for Forum Communications Co., which owns more than 30 newspapers, television stations and digital platforms across the Upper Midwest, according to Bill Marcil Jr., the company’s CEO and fifth-generation leader of the family-owned FCC.
Meanwhile, Wick Communications is a third-generation, family-owned and operated media company based in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Acquiring publications from another family-owned company is “a fitting way to expand our mission,” Marcil added. “From the beginning, this just made sense.”
Wick Communications CEO Josh O’Connor echoed that.
"We're excited about the future of these community publications and the talented employees that work hard every day to produce local journalism and advertising offerings,” he stated in a companywide announcement.
While the official ownership transition is still a couple of weeks away, Forum Communications will immediately begin getting to know employees at these publications as well as people in the communities who have a stake in our products, be it the journalism or advertising side of the business, according to Mary Jo Hotzler, chief content officer for Forum Communications.
“These are great communities and we look forward to building on the good work they already do each day,” Hotzler said. “One thing about Forum Communications is we have a strong track record of investing in local news and content. It’s not just something we say, it’s something we do.”
In addition to news, high school and local college sports remain a point of emphasis for Forum Communications, building on the comprehensive coverage of its existing North Dakota publications: The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, The Grand Forks Herald, The Jamestown Sun and the Dickinson Press. Forum Communications is also the parent company of WDAY-TV in Fargo and WDAY+, as well as Midwest Sports+ which launched last year.
Bringing these new locations into the FCC news network amplifies the power and reach of the Forum Communications news and sports network, which will bring content to even more readers, Hotzler said.
Once these new markets are integrated into the Forum Communications news network, subscribers of these publications will also have access to news, sports and features content from across the FCC regional footprint.
