New Owner For Duluth’s FOX-21; Duluth News Tribune’s Forum Communications Finalizes Purchase Agreement
One of Duluth's four major affiliated television stations has a new owner. Forum Communications has announced that they've reached a purchase agreement to buy KQDS-TV - known as FOX-21 - as part of a deal that includes other stations. The company is already known in the Duluth market as they own the Duluth News Tribune.
An article in the Duluth News Tribune outlines the purchase agreement.
Under the terms of the sale, Fargo, North Dakota-based Forum Communications will add to the four television signals it already owns in that state. In addition to Duluth's FOX-21, they're also buying KVRR-TV (also located in Fargo) from Red River Broadcast Company. Additionally, Forum will acquire "certain satellite stations that deliver the KVRR signal to parts of the Fargo market".
Purchase price and specific details of the transaction remain unannounced. The two media companies are still working out "regulatory and other approvals" necessary for the sale to take place.
While the Fargo transaction is interesting in that it adds to Forum's already established stable of television in that market, it also holds interest in the Duluth market. Forum is no stranger to media in the Twin Ports with it's holdings of the Duluth News Tribune.
Details of the sale were partly broken to the Twin Ports via a social media by FOX-21 news anchor Dan Hanger.
According to the media companies home page, the privately-held company is the current owners and operators of more than 19 newspapers throughout the North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin region. In addition they publish seven different magazine-based media offerings. As far as television goes, they already owned four TV stations - all of which had been located in North Dakota.