Monthly Archives: November 2011

Forum Communications Co. hosts ‘transformation’ conference for newsroom executives

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FCC Vice President for Newspapers Steve McLister addresses a room full of publishers, general managers, news directors and editors during Forum Communication Co.'s recent two-day newsroom management conference in Fargo.

FARGO, N.D. – More than 60 Forum Communications Co. executives, publishers and editors attended a two-day conference focused on the transformation of the company’s newsroom personnel. The annual gathering held here Wednesday and Thursday served as a training opportunity and a time for discussion among the company’s newsroom managers about the future of collecting and disseminating information.

The event was organized and led by FCC President Lloyd Case to discuss recommendations by The Forum Forward Innovation Committee.  The committee is chaired by Mary Jo Hotzler, and members include; Kirsten Stromsodt, Aaron Becher, and Jenny Porter.

There were also sessions that focused on legal update training, the future of the company’s content management system, fostering community content development, social media and future digital content business strategies.

Other speakers included Steve Johnson of the Vogel Law firm in Fargo, Vice President for Interactive Paul Amundson, Vice President for Newspapers Steve McLister, Product Development Manager Chris Welle, Digital Content Development Director Tracy Briggs, Project Manager Zac Echola and Digital Content Operations Manager Devlyn Brooks.

The attendees of the conference held at the Holiday Inn also participated in social activities that allowed colleagues who may work hundreds of miles apart all year round the time to exchange professional ideas and to get to know one another face to face.

“We have hundreds of journalists working in sites across four states,” Vice President McLister said. “It’s valuable to periodically bring those professionals together so that they can share best practices and bounce ideas off one another. It speaks to the company’s commitment to develop highly trained newsroom professionals to serve the millions of consumers of our broadcast, digital, mobile and printed information products.”

Conference attendees listen to a discussion on the future of the industry.

Forum Communications Co. is a multimedia company headquartered in Fargo, N.D. The company publishes nine daily newspapers and 24 other newspapers in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and South Dakota. The company also has television, interactive and printing divisions.

West Central Tribune in Willmar, Minn., announces new advertising management team

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WILLMAR, Minn. — The West Central Tribune has reorganized its advertising department to help take advantage of its powerful print, digital and mobile media platforms, Publisher Steve Ammermann has announced.

The West Central Tribune is one of 30-plus newspapers owned by Forum Communications Co., a multimedia company headquartered in Fargo, N.D. The company publishes nine daily newspapers and 24 other newspapers in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and South Dakota. The company also has television, interactive and printing divisions.

Kevin Smith has been named the new advertising director at the Tribune, and Jan Queenan has been named assistant advertising director, Ammermann said.

Smith, of Edwardsburg, Mich., has been the advertising director at Leader Publications in Niles, Mich. The Leaders group publishes two small dailies, three weekly newspapers and two shopper publications in southern Michigan.

“Kevin has an impressive background in sales and marketing. His wealth of experience will be instrumental as we move forward. I’m excited to have him put his skills to work for the West Central Tribune,” Ammermann said.

Smith previously worked at the Lansing (Mich.) State Journal’s advertising department as a niche product supervisor and as a retail zone sales manager. He has also managed his own direct mail franchise business, worked as an account executive for a Lansing television station, worked as a marketing director for a network radio sales organization and worked as an account executive for an outdoor advertising company.

Queenan of New London has worked in the advertising department at the West Central Tribune for 27 years. She has previously worked as advertising director, assistant advertising director and account executive.

The West Central Tribune is the leading media company in west central Minnesota. The Tribune’s print edition has a daily readership of 43,350.

The newspaper’s website wctrib.com averages 1.2 million page views and more than 75,000 unique visitors per month. The newspaper’s mobile site averages more than 50,000 page views monthly.