Grand Forks Herald
Grand Forks Herald is a regional newspaper division of Forum Communications Company, delivering local news, sports, weather, and classifieds to Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and the broader Red River Valley via print, digital, mobile, and multimedia channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1879
- HeadquartersGrand Forks, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Grand Forks Herald does
Grand Forks Herald is a local newspaper serving Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, North Dakota, and the broader Red River Valley region, operating as a wholly owned division of Forum Communications Company, a privately held Upper Midwest media conglomerate. Founded in 1879, the publication runs a multi-platform news operation spanning a core digital news site (grandforksherald.com), print home delivery, single-copy sales, iOS and Android e-paper mobile applications, and email newsletters. Editorial coverage spans local, regional, and national news with particular depth in UND hockey, local prep sports, weather (via StormTracker Weather), obituaries, and community announcements, supplemented by niche verticals including Agweek (agricultural industry), Prairie Business (regional business), and The Vault (Midwest history, mystery, crime, and culture) that are syndicated across 30+ Forum Communications news sites.
The business model combines consumer subscription revenue (digital access, print, and bundled print/digital packages, with promotional entry pricing such as $2 for 6 months) with diversified advertising income streams covering digital display, print display, sponsored content, TV advertising through sister station WDAY, video production, classifieds (employment, obituaries, legal notices, milestones), public notice publishing for government entities, and community event monetization (e.g., Best of the Best contest, 50 Best Places to Work). Distribution operates through self-serve digital channels (website, mobile apps, JobsHQ, classifieds marketplace) and direct/retail channels (home delivery, single-copy sales, field-based public notice sales). Customer segments are distributed across individual local and regional subscribers, local SMB advertisers, and government/recruitment buyers, with no single anchor account disclosed.
Grand Forks Herald firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grand Forks Herald
- Legal name
- Grand Forks Herald
- Website
- https://grandforksherald.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1879
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Grand Forks Herald is a regional newspaper division of Forum Communications Company, delivering local news, sports, weather, and classifieds to Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and the broader Red River Valley via print, digital, mobile, and multimedia channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grand Forks Herald industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Newspaper
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110), Newspaper Publishers (51311), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers (MPAJADAC), News & Content Aggregation Portals (BPAMAAAI)
Keywords
Where Grand Forks Herald is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Forks
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Grand Forks Herald business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Digital Subscriptions: Online subscription tiers providing access to digital content, premium articles, and e-paper editions. Offers digital-only and combined print/digital packages.
- Print Subscriptions: Home delivery and single-copy print newspaper sales
- Advertising Revenue: Digital advertising including banner ads, sponsored content, video advertising; Print advertising including display ads, classifieds, public notices; TV advertising through WDAY
- Classifieds and Listings: Employment ads (JobsHQ), general classifieds, legal notices, obituaries, milestone announcements
- Events and Contests: Best of the Best contest, community events, sponsored content partnerships
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Promotional digital subscription offer |
| Subscription | Monthly | Print and digital bundle subscriptions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Grand Forks Herald product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Grand Forks Herald publishes a local and regional newspaper serving Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and surrounding communities in North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Its offerings span digital news content via grandforksherald.com and mobile e-paper apps, print newspaper delivery, advertising (digital, print, TV, video), classifieds, employment listings through JobsHQ, public-notice publishing, and specialized verticals (Agweek, Prairie Business, The Vault, StormTracker Weather). Revenue is generated through consumer subscriptions, advertising sales, classified listings, and event/community sponsorships.
Product overview
Grand Forks Herald is a regional newspaper operated by Forum Communications Company, offering a multi-platform news operation centered on its main digital news site. The product portfolio includes the core Grand Forks Herald platform providing local, regional, and national news coverage, supplemented by specialized verticals Agweek (agricultural news), Prairie Business (regional business news), and The Vault (history, crime, and culture content). Weather services are provided through StormTracker Weather, while premium content is available via WDAY+. The company generates revenue through advertising services spanning digital, print, TV, and video formats, along with subscription-based content access and classified advertising platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Grand Forks Herald Digital News Subscription Subscription-based digital access to local, regional, and national news, weather, sports, and lifestyle content via grandforksherald.com and the publication's mobile applications, available to consumers in the Grand Forks market and broader Red River Valley region.
- Grand Forks Herald E-Paper Mobile App Digital replica of the print newspaper accessible on iOS (App Store ID 1522293062) and Android (Google Play), allowing subscribers to read the full print edition on mobile devices.
- Grand Forks Herald Print Newspaper Subscription Print newspaper subscription with home delivery and single-copy sales at retail locations, with combined print-and-digital bundle options available for local readers.
- Agweek Specialized agricultural news publication covering farming, ranching, and agribusiness industry news for the Upper Midwest region, operated as a companion brand under Forum Communications Company.
- Prairie Business Regional business publication serving the Upper Midwest, providing business news, executive coverage, and regional economic reporting for business readers in the Prairie region.
- Classifieds Marketplace Self-serve online and print classified advertising marketplace for employment, real estate, vehicles, merchandise, and personal listings across the Grand Forks and Upper Midwest region.
- JobsHQ Specialized employment advertising platform connecting regional job seekers with employers, offering employment ad placements across the Herald's digital and print channels.
- Public Notices Legal public notice advertising and publishing service for government entities, courts, attorneys, and businesses requiring statutory notice publication in the Grand Forks Herald.
- Digital Advertising Services Online advertising solutions including display ads, sponsored content, and targeted digital marketing services sold to local and regional businesses and advertising agencies.
- Print Advertising Services Print advertising placements including display ads and classifieds in the physical Grand Forks Herald newspaper, sold to local and regional advertisers.
- Video Production Services Professional video production services for advertisers and content creation needs, offered through Forum Communications Company's production capabilities for the Herald's clients.
Companies that use Grand Forks Herald
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Grand Forks Herald technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Grand Forks Herald partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Forum Communications CompanycoreParent company that owns and operates the Grand Forks Herald as a division. Forum Communications Company is a media conglomerate providing shared technology, advertising services, printing, and distribution infrastructure across its network of regional news outlets in the Upper Midwest.
- Forum News NetworkcoreShared content network enabling articles and news coverage to be syndicated across multiple Forum Communications Company news sites including WDAY TV and other regional outlets.
- WDAY-TV (Forum Communications Company)coreTelevision station under the same parent company, providing video content integration, StormTracker weather data, and multimedia coverage shared with the Grand Forks Herald digital platform.
- AgweekminorAgricultural industry publication also owned by Forum Communications Company, featuring cross-promotion and shared content coverage of agribusiness news in the region.
- Prairie BusinessminorBusiness publication covering the Prairie region, sharing content and cross-promotion with the Grand Forks Herald.
- The VaultcoreNiche content division under Forum Communications Company dedicated to Midwest history, mystery, crime and culture. Content shared across 30+ news sites within the company's network.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Grand Forks Herald competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fargo Forum (InForum): Flag Forum Communications newspaper based in Fargo, ND and the sister publication to Grand Forks Herald within the same parent company, serving an adjacent Upper Midwest market with a similar print+digital+sports model.
- Duluth News Tribune: Regional Minnesota daily newspaper also operated by Forum Communications Company, providing directly comparable print + digital subscription, classified (JobsHQ), and weather/news products to a similar Upper Midwest audience.
- Minot Daily News: North Dakota regional daily with subscription + advertising business model similar to the Herald, competing for the same regional advertiser and reader base.
- Bismarck Tribune: Long-established North Dakota daily newspaper operating outside the Forum network (Lee Enterprises), offering directly comparable subscription, advertising, and public-notice products in the same state.
- The Dickinson Press: Regional North Dakota daily covering western ND with print + digital subscription and local sports/government coverage comparable to the Herald's positioning in eastern ND.
- Bemidji Pioneer: Forum Communications-owned daily serving northern Minnesota, with overlapping subscription, classified, and local sports mechanics, and serves as a destination for reporters rotating within the Forum network.
Others
- Agweek: Forum Communications sub-brand focused on agricultural news across the Upper Midwest; operates as a sibling publication feeding agricultural content into the Herald and competes against niche farm publications.
- Forum News Service: Sister wire and content-sharing network within Forum Communications that competes with AP/regional wires as a content supplier and aggregation layer used by Grand Forks Herald.
Emerging players
- Prairie Business: Regional business magazine/brand within the Forum network covering the Upper Midwest, with overlapping advertiser base and partial competition in the regional business news vertical against the Herald's business coverage.
Broad incumbents
- Star Tribune: Largest Minnesota newspaper, competing with the Herald for regional news readership, sports coverage (including Gophers), and digital subscription spend across the Upper Midwest.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Grand Forks Herald social profiles
Digital presenceGrand Forks Herald financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grand Forks Herald leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Grand Forks Herald funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grand Forks Herald M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Grand Forks Herald
What does Grand Forks Herald do?
Grand Forks Herald publishes a local and regional newspaper serving Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and surrounding communities in North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Its offerings span digital news content via grandforksherald.com and mobile e-paper apps, print newspaper delivery, advertising (digital, print, TV, video), classifieds, employment listings through JobsHQ, public-notice publishing, and specialized verticals (Agweek, Prairie Business, The Vault, StormTracker Weather). Revenue is generated through consumer subscriptions, advertising sales, classified listings, and event/community sponsorships.
Is Grand Forks Herald a public or private company?
Grand Forks Herald is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Grand Forks Herald founded?
Grand Forks Herald was founded in 1879. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Grand Forks Herald based?
Grand Forks Herald is headquartered in Grand Forks, United States, in the North America region.
How does Grand Forks Herald make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Digital Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are print Subscriptions, advertising Revenue, classifieds and Listings and events and Contests.
Who are Grand Forks Herald's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fargo Forum (InForum), Duluth News Tribune, Minot Daily News, Bismarck Tribune, The Dickinson Press and Bemidji Pioneer. Others are Agweek and Forum News Service. Prairie Business is listed as an emerging player. Star Tribune is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Grand Forks Herald have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grand Forks Herald.
What industry is Grand Forks Herald in?
Grand Forks Herald's product category is Local Newspaper. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital), with a secondary code of MPAJADAC, Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers. Its NAICS code is 513110 and its SIC code is 2711.