Founded in 1883 by L.A. Lange, The Reporter began as a daily newspaper called the Daily Reporter to keep the citizens of Fond du Lac informed. The idea sparked because the growing city needed a reliable source of daily information, rather than just weekly updates, to keep up with local businesses and community growth. For decades, it competed fiercely with another local paper, the Commonwealth, before the two rivals eventually merged to form the paper we know today. Currently, the newspaper is owned and operated by Gannett Co., Inc. and is part of the USA TODAY Network. Today, The Reporter is based in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and serves as the main source of news for Fond du Lac County and the Lake Winnebago region. They cover a wide range of topics including local city government, crime, and community festivals. Being in Wisconsin, they also provide extensive coverage of sports, following local high school teams as well as the Green Bay Packers and the Milwaukee Brewers. One interesting fact: A unique fact about The Reporter is its history as a "peace treaty" between rivals. For over 40 years, the Daily Reporter and the Fond du Lac Commonwealth (which started in 1854) were bitter competitors fighting for readers. In 1926, they finally merged to become the Commonwealth Reporter, combining their resources to better serve the community, though the name was eventually shortened back to just The Reporter.