About Us

Delivering the community in print, online and on television

Thisweek Newspapers, Dakota County Tribune keep readers informed in the southern Twin Cities metro

Thisweek Newspapers and the Dakota County Tribune Business Weekly are the small newspapers that are big on the community.

Publishing seven newspapers in the southern Twin Cities metropolitan area, each week the newspaper group’s staff of nine writes dozens of stories and photographs several events throughout the communities it covers.

Newspaper staff members write about the notable activities at city halls, centers of county government, schools, main streets, gymnasiums and playing fields. With notepads in hand and cameras often slung to their shoulders, staff members follow up on story leads found on their beats and those suggested by members of the community.

While the Dakota County Tribune Business Weekly is published on Thursdays for those who request it, 60,000-plus Thisweek Newspapers are distributed free on Fridays in the cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Lakeville, Farmington, and Rosemount. The Dakota County Tribune has been published since 1884. Thisweek Newspapers started in March 1979, and Lakeville Life & Times started in February 1979. Thisweek and the Life & Times merged when ECM Publishers Inc. purchased the two in July 1999.

Managing Editor Tad Johnson said he is impressed by the staff members’ work covering the diverse communities, whose combined population now approaches 240,000.

“Satisfying the people’s appetite for a wide range of information is a constant challenge we try to meet each week,” Johnson said. “It is very rewarding job that comes with a great amount of responsibility.”

The newspapers aim to not only provide the news of the day, but also give a glimpse into what is like
to live in this place at this time. While the newspapers offer information and analysis of the changes in the cities, county and school districts, they also feature the lives of unique people living in the communities.

Thisweek Newspapers, which launched a new redesign as of Jan. 1, 2003, offers a new arts page, announcements and new looks to the front, editorial and other inside pages. The redesign aimed to make the newspaper more reader-friendly and easier to navigate.

“We want people to know where to find the news they need,” Johnson said. “We are a great
resource for residents to find out what is going on in their hometowns.”

The newspaper operation also moved in April 2001 into a new building at 12190 County Road 11, a few steps away from its old offices on Highway 13 in Burnsville.

The Lakeville office moved its offices two doors down on Lakeville’s main street to 20790 Holyoke Avenue, but closed this office in 2008.

“We are continually looking for new ways to improve our newspapers,” Johnson said. “We like to think of them as a constantly evolving to meet the needs of our readers.”

That change hasn’t stopped in 2008. Thisweek Newspapers and the Dakota County Tribune launched Thisweeklive.com on April 1, 2008, a highly interactive news website to replace the old website www.thisweek-online.com. Thisweeklive.com boasts more content, daily breaking news and multimedia such as video, blogs, photo slideshows.

In 2009, Thisweeklive launched its TV show and video podcast of the same name. Producer and Host Tad Johnson interviews civic leaders and politicians each week in cooperation with Burnsville Community Television and Burnsville High School. The show is available on Thisweeklive.com and through iTunes as a video podcast/download.

PHOTO: Thisweek Newspapers office is located at 12190 County Road 11, a few steps away from
its old offices on Highway 13 in Burnsville.

Every Customer Matters at ECM Publishers

Company publishes 17 newspapers, seven shoppers; operates commercial printing, distribution divisions

ECM Publishers Inc. , which owns and operates 17 newspapers, seven shoppers and operates commercial printing and distribution divisions, is moving into the new century with a bold vision for growth.

After being founded in 1976 by former Minnesota Gov. and H.B. Fuller CEO Elmer L. Andersen, ECM Publishers currently publishes 17 community weekly newspapers with a circulation of over 130,000 and seven shopper publications with a distribution of 230,000. ECM Publishers posts online versions of its weekly newspapers on the World Wide Web, updating stories daily to provide up-to-date information for its communities.

Just over 500 associates are employed by ECM Publishers, one of the fastest growing printing and publishing
companies in the Upper Midwest. ECM takes pride in being an ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan) company.

Printing operations at ECM include a sheetfed printing plant at Coon Rapids and a newspaper web plant at Princeton. With 64 total non-heatset press units, ECM Publishers has the most commercial, single width, non-heatset press capacity in the Midwest.

Because ECM is in the unique position of being in the publishing business, printing with ECM becomes
a benefit for those publishers who may need the understanding of a publisher as their print provider. Many well-known publications are printed at ECM Publishers including the New York Times. The Times began
publishing its regionally distributed, national edition after it was announced July 9, 2001.

ECM Publishers is also proud of its large distribution operation which is responsible for 350,000 household deliveries each week for 43 publishers with more than 600 carriers logging over 25,000 miles each week.

ECM
Distribution delivers newspapers, shoppers, catalogs, free standing inserts, telephone directories and sample products from strategically located warehouse operations.

ECM Publishers takes pride in giving back to the communities it serves. The company’s Community Affairs Council (CAC) organizes fund-raising events throughout the year to give money and donated items to foodshelves, adopted families and scholarship for college-bound students.

Associates are also encouraged to get involved in their communities through volunteer efforts on nonprofit and local service groups.

ECM’s
corporate office is located in Coon Rapids. Julian Andersen is chairman and chief executive officer of ECM. Company president is Marge Winkelman.

What ECM publishes

Among the publications produced by ECM Publishers Inc. are:

• Thisweek Newspapers — weekly, free-distribution newspapers in Burnsville (15,101), Eagan (12,723), Farmington (6,681), Rosemount (3,961), Apple Valley (10,875) and Lakeville (14,859).

• Dakota County Tribune — weekly, 1,124 paid-subscription newspaper.

• ABC Newspapers — weekly, estimated 10,000 paid-circulation community newspaper group with the Anoka County Union, Blaine/Spring Lake Park
Life and Coon Rapids Herald.

• Anoka County Shopper — weekly, 77,500 free-distribution in north Twin Cities metro area.

• Caledonia Argus — weekly, 2,914 paid-subscription newspaper.

• Elk River Star News — weekly, 19,849 free-distribution community newspaper.

• Star Shopper — extended 17,400 circulation free advertising publication.

• Forest Lake Times — weekly 12,400 free-distribution newspaper.

• St. Croix Valley Peach — free, 31,000 distribution shopping guide based in Forest Lake.

• ECM Post Review — weekly, 2,197 paid-circulation newspaper.

• Isanti County News — weekly, 11,910 full-distribution newspaper.

• The Scotsman — weekly, 70,000-circulation free advertising publication based in Cambridge.

• Princeton Union-Eagle , weekly, 3,403 paid-subscription newspaper.

• Town & Country Shopper — weekly, 14,800-circulation shopper based in Princeton.

• Mille Lacs County Times , weekly, 3,100-paid circulation newspaper.

• Dairyland Peach — weekly, 29,400-circulation advertising publication.