Forrest Media formed in April 2006 in response to developing trends in the media industry. Its goal is to bravely test new ideas and concepts that can help existing and new media brands extend their reach and turn heads.
President and founder Adam Klawonn founded the company in Phoenix, Arizona, to develop a statewide news blog based on the leading topics of the day as an answer to the lack of general news coverage on “big picture” issues. The project, called The Zonie Report (which borrows a nickname for Arizonans), won a statewide award from the Arizona Press Club for its community reporting in 2008.
In 2009, the company was a winner of an international contest for new media startups hosted by the Knight Foundation. Its idea was CityCircles, a content-management system that allowed hyperlocal communities to share information around geographically significant locations. Its first implementation was the burgeoning mass transit community in the inner-city areas of the Phoenix-metro region, where people were using light rail. The focus of the project was to help METRO passengers, nearby residents and local merchants share information within five blocks of each light rail station. The project won a $100,000 grant prize for the development of a website, and it has since launched a smartphone app with much of the same features for the iPhone.
The company specializes in thinking outside the box and beyond current trends in the media industry. It emphasizes the presentation of quality content, useful data and the clever presentation of the two on the proper device for the maximum appeal to the broadest audience. It has contributed to or overseen the creation of websites and smartphone applications for media outlets large and small. With 10 years of experience in print and online media, the company is well-positioned to help newspapers and magazines expand their opportunities.
