The ''Brainerd Dispatch'' is a daily morning newspaper published in
Brainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd ( ) is a city and the county seat of Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluen ...
. The newspaper was founded on December 22, 1881, and became a daily paper in 1883. In April 2004, the Dispatch became a morning paper. In July 2020, the publication switched to twice-a-week printing and delivery. The paper is owned by
Forum Communications
Forum Communications Company is an American multimedia and technology company headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. With multiple online and print news brands throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, Forum Communications of ...
. The paper is published by Pete Mohs.
History
The paper was formerly owned by
Stauffer Communications
Stauffer Communications was a privately held media corporation based in Topeka, Kansas, that owned many publications and broadcast outlets, including the ''Topeka Capital-Journal'' and WIBW (AM), WIBW, WIBW-FM, and WIBW-TV. The company operated fro ...
, which was acquired by
Morris Communications
Morris Communications, headquartered in Augusta, Georgia, is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, book publishing and distribution, visitor publications, and online serv ...
in 1994.
On December 26, 2013,
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the List of cities in North Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County, North Dakota, Cass County. The population was 125,990 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, which was e ...
based
Forum Communications Company
Forum Communications Company is an American multimedia and technology company headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. With multiple online and print news brands throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, Forum Communications of ...
entered a deal with Morris to purchase several newspaper properties owned by
Morris Communications
Morris Communications, headquartered in Augusta, Georgia, is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, book publishing and distribution, visitor publications, and online serv ...
including the ''Brainerd Dispatch''. The deal was set to be finalized on January 1, 2014.
On July 16, 2020, the ''Brainerd Dispatch'' newspaper did not roll off its printing presses for the first time in 137 years but was instead available to readers in a digital format.
The printed paper continued its delivery Wednesdays and Sundays in the early morning hours for paid subscribers. But on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, its "e-paper" became the only way to view the publication's content, which still changes daily.
In June 2024, the paper announced it will close its local printing facility and shift production to the Detroit Lakes area.
See also
*
List of newspapers in Minnesota
This list of newspapers in Minnesota shows newspapers that are published currently in the state of Minnesota in the United States of America. According to records of the Library of Congress, there have been throughout its history almost 4,000 ne ...
References
{{coord, 46.358679, -94.218973, region:US-MN, display=title, name=D: Brainerd Dispatch
Newspapers established in 1881
Newspapers published in Minnesota
1881 establishments in Minnesota
Brainerd, Minnesota