Insight News started in 1974 as a color cover magazine based in and serving Minneapolis’ African American north side. It was owned by Graphic Services, Inc., a general printing and magazine publishing firm in Northeast Minneapolis. Al McFarlane, headed the Midwest Public Relations division of Graphic Services. McFarlane, a 26 year-old media enthusiast, had previously worked for the St. Paul Pioneer Press as a reporter and for General Mills in public relations. He purchased rights to Insight News in 1975 and began publishing as a community newspaper in 1976.