Protestors outside the Forum Communications Building in downtown Fargo April 1 after three opinion columnists were let go by the company. Jim Shaw, Jack Zaleski and Joan Brickner wrote their last columns March 28. (KFGO News Photo / Nate Coen)
FARGO (KFGO) – Protestors gathered outside the Forum Communications building in downtown Fargo Wednesday to express their thoughts on the firing of three opinion columnists.
Jack Zaleski, Jim Shaw and Joan Brickner were let go last week. Their final columns were published March 28. Prior to becoming a columnist, Zaleski was the Forum’s longtime opinion page editor.
“The recent decision to let go of three of our freelance opinion columnists was strictly a business decision based on data and feedback from our readers.” Forum Communications CEO Bill Marcil Jr. said in a statement.
Some protestors disagreed, saying if the decision was financial it would have been made more clear.
Protestors outside the Forum Communications building in downtown Fargo March 28 after the company let go of three opinion columnists. (KFGO News Photo / Nate Coen)
“Perhaps they wouldn’t be buying smaller newspaper outlets at the same time. They are enlarging their footprint.” Said Lyn Docktor-Pinnick. “If it was a business decision related to finances, then it would seem that they would have said that, and they would have made it clear in their information”.
Event organizers say the goal of the protest was protecting diverse opinions and a free press.
Jim Shaw explained his stance on News & Views with Joel Heitkamp. You can listen to that podcast below.
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