Forum Communications Co. brings together entire sales force for continuing education

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Devlyn Brooks

Forum Communications Co. sales representatives recently attended a daylong continuing education training course in Fargo. The goal was give each sales rep a competitive advantage in their market.

FARGO, N.D. – Forum Communications Co. brought together its entire sales force, including sales representatives from newspaper, broadcast and commercial printing properties, on three dates in early December for sales continuing education during the 2012 FCC Core Skills Workshop.

Dozens of Forum Communications sales reps participated in a full-day course that covered multiple aspects of sales training, with the goal being to give each sales representative a competitive advantage through knowledge of how FCC’s products and services are superior to others.

Lead Trainer Mary Altuvilla of People First Productivity Solutions, a Twin Cities consulting firm, led Forum Communications Co. sales representatives through the training.

The training was organized by Duluth News Tribune Ad Director Roz Randorf, and it was led by Mary Altuvilla, the lead trainer at People First Productivity Solutions, a Twin Cities consulting company.

“By enhancing the skills of the sales representatives,” Randorf said, “we will ultimately educate our customers about the advantages of selecting and using our products and provide them with a top-notch customer experience.”

Forum Communications Co. is a multimedia information company based in Fargo. Forum Communications Co. owns dozens of newspapers, websites and television and radio stations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

FCC employees host ‘Living with Water’ community discussion

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Devlyn Brooks

Forum Communications Co. employees (at the front of the room) from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY-TV in Fargo host a discussion on the company's month's long multimedia reporting project known as "Living with Water." The Sunday (Feb. 19) discussion was held as a part of Concoridia College's Communiversity lifelong learning program.

Forum Communications Co. employees from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY-TV in Fargo hosted a community discussion Sunday (Feb. 19) in Moorhead, Minn., regarding the company’s “Living with Water” multimedia reporting project. The discussion was held as part of Concordia College’s F/M Communiversity Program which offers non-credit, educational, cultural and social opportunities for those interested in lifelong learning.

Forum Editor Matthew Von Pinnon moderated the panel discussion, and Forum reporters Kristen Daum, Marino Eccher and Patrick Springer offered their insights on what they learned during their months of research and writing on water topics, including flooding, diversion, and dam issues along the Missouri, Red and Sheyenne Rivers, along with ongoing concerns in the Devils Lake basin.

WDAY-TV metereologist John Wheeler discussed how weather patterns have played a role in water surplus and drought conditions.

Beginning last fall, FCC reporters from multiple locations – including Dickinson, Grand Forks and Jamestown, N.D.; Detroit Lakes, Minn.; and Mitchell, S.D. – undertook the “Living with Water” project, a multimedia reporting project involving print, broadcast and digital platforms, to build an understanding about water and its impacts on the lives of people in the Dakotas and Minnesota, including ways in which our uses of water impact other regions and how their uses impact us. Topics have included: coping with record-breaking flooding, demands for higher quality water and ways in which we ensure an adequate supply for the future.

The stories published five consecutive Sundays in The Forum, the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald, The Dickinson (N.D.) Press, The Jamestown (N.D.) Sun and The Daily Republic in Mitchell, S.D., and will culminate this coming Sunday (Feb. 26). The stories also are being shared on WDAY-TV in Fargo, WDAZ-TV in Grand Forks and online at http://water.areavoices.com.

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

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Devlyn Brooks

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.

Publishers and ad managers meet for digital conference

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Paul Amundson

FARGO, N.D. – About 50 publishers and ad managers fromÂ Forum Communications Co. newspapers and broadcast stations are meeting in Fargo this week to discuss ongoing changes in the media marketplace in regard to digital advertising.

The sales managers are presenting their digital sales progress over the past year with an eye to upcoming opportunities.

The company has seen dramatic progress in digital advertising sales.Â Forum Communications Co. advertising clients continue to grow their businesses based on the reach and targeting opportunities offered by the company.

Internet marketing initiatives and training are also part of the agenda.

The two-day conference is being held at the Skills and Technology Training Center in Fargo, N.D.