4 1 a2067342z4.htm 4 Prepared by MERRILL CORPORATION
    FORM 4
/ / Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

(Print or Type Responses)		   UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF
CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940		  
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number:  3235-0287
Expires: December 31, 2001
Estimated average burden hours per response .... 0.5
1.   Name and Address of Reporting Person*   2.   Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol   6.   Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
    WYCHE, JR.   PAUL   H       NORTHWESTERN CORPORATION (NOR)           Director       10% Owner
 
           
    (Last)   (First)   (Middle)   3.   I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person (voluntary)   4.   Statement for Month/Year        X  Officer
    (give title below)		        Other
    (specify below)
    125 S. DAKOTA AVE.               DECEMBER 2001       VICE PRESIDENT — COMMUNICATIONS & CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
 
 
     
(Street)           5.   If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)   7.   Individual or Joint/Group Filing
(Check Applicable Line)
 X  Form filed by One Reporting Person
     Form filed by More than
    SIOUX FALLS   SD   57104                       One Reporting Person
    (City)   (State)   (Zip)                            
                Table I — Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.   Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		   2.   Transaction Date   3.   Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		   4.   Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		   5.   Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Month   6.   Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		   7.   Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
            (Month/ Day/ Year)  
      (Instr. 3 and 4)                
                    Code   V       Amount   (A) or (D)   Price                        
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.   (Over)
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).   SEC 1474 (7-97)

POTENTIAL PERSONS WHO ARE TO RESPOND TO THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED IN THIS FORM ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RESPOND UNLESS THE FORM
DISPLAYS A CURRENTLY VALID OMB CONTROL NUMBER.

FORM 4 (Continued)   Table II — Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1.   Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		   2.   Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security   3.   Transaction Date
(Month/Day/Year)		   4.   Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		   5.   Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		   6.   Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)
                       
 
                            Code   V       (A)   (D)       Date
Exercisable		   Expiration Date
UNITS(1)       1-FOR-1       (2)       A   V       (3)           N/A   N/A
PHANTOM STOCK UNITS       1-FOR-1       12/1/01       A           31           (5)   (5)
                                                         
                                                         
                                                         
                                                         
                                                         
                                                         
                                                         
                                                         
                                                         
7.   Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		   8.   Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		   9.   Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Month
(Instr. 4)		   10.   Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct(D) or Indirect(I) (Instr. 4)   11.   Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
   
                               
    Title   Amount or Number of Shares                                
    COMMON STOCK   1-FOR-1       $21.0500       157       I       (4)
    COMMON STOCK   31       $20.4000       2045       D        
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         

Explanation of Responses:

ALL SHARE TRANSACTIONS AND TOTALS HAVE BEEN ROUNDED TO WHOLE SHARES.

(1)
EACH UNIT CORRELATES TO ONE SHARE OF THE ISSUER'S COMMON STOCK HELD IN A SUPPLEMENTAL VARIABLE INVESTMENT PLAN ("SVIP") SPONSORED BY THE ISSUER.

(2)
PURCHASE DATES OF 12/10/01 AND 12/24/01.

(3)
BETWEEN 12/1/01 AND 12/31/01, THE REPORTING PERSON ACQUIRED 15 UNITS UNDER THE SVIP. INFORMATION IS BASED SOLELY ON A PLAN STATEMENT DATED 12/31/01.

(4)
HELD BY WELLS FARGO TRUST CORPORATION AS TRUSTEE OF THE SVIP.

(5)
PHANTOM STOCK UNITS WERE ACCRUED UNDER THE NORTHWESTERN STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN AND ARE TO BE PAID 50% IN CASH AND 50% IN COMMON STOCK OF NORTHWESTERN, AS EARNED THROUGH ACHIEVEMENT OF PERFORMANCE CRITERIA.
    /s/ PAUL WYCHE   1/8/2002
**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).  
**Signature of Reporting Person		  
Date
         
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.        
         
        Page 2
SEC 1474 (7-97)