Tribune Company Timeline
Significant events in the company’s history
| 1847 | Chicago Tribune founded |
| Chicago Tribune prints first edition on June 10 | |
| 1861 | “Tribune Company” established as an Illinois corporation |
| 1924 | WGN Radio signs on in Chicago |
| 1925 | Tribune Tower opens in Chicago |
| 1948 | WGN-TV signs on in Chicago |
| WPIX-TV signs on in New York | |
| 1963 | Tribune acquires South Florida Sun-Sentinel |
| 1965 | Tribune acquires Orlando Sentinel |
| 1966 | Tribune acquires KWGN-TV in Denver |
| 1968 | Tribune restructured as a Delaware corporation |
| 1975 | Tribune Entertainment starts syndication of “U.S. Farm Report” |
| 1978 | WGN-TV becomes a “superstation,” reaching television audiences nationwide via cable |
| 1981 | Tribune acquires the Chicago Cubs |
| Tribune Broadcasting Company established | |
| 1982 | Tribune Entertainment Company established |
| 1983 | Tribune Company goes public |
| Tribune acquires WGNO-TV in New Orleans | |
| Tribune, with ticker symbol TRB, becomes a publicly traded company on October 13 | |
| 1984 | Tribune acquires WGNX-TV in Atlanta |
| 1985 | Tribune acquires KTLA-TV in Los Angeles |
| 1986 | Tribune acquires Daily Press in Newport News, Va. |
| 1987 | Tribune Entertainment launches Geraldo daytime talk show |
| 1991 | Tribune invests in America Online |
| “KTLA Morning News” debuts — Tribune’s first morning newscast | |
| 1992 | Tribune acquires WPHL-TV in Philadelphia |
| Chicago Online debuts on America Online | |
| 1993 | Full text of Chicago Tribune becomes available online |
| CLTV cable news channel launches in Chicago | |
| Tribune launches ¡Exito! | |
| 1994 | Tribune acquires WLVI-TV in Boston |
| 1995 | Tribune gains an equity interest in The WB Television Network |
| Tribune Media Center opens in Washington, D.C. | |
| CareerFinder launches on the Internet | |
| 1996 | Tribune acquires KHWB-TV in Houston |
| Tribune acquires KSWB-TV in San Diego | |
| Chicago.tribune.com launches | |
| 1997 | Tribune acquires Renaissance Communications – |
| six television stations join Tribune Broadcasting Company: | |
| KDAF-TV in Dallas | |
| WBZL-TV in Miami | |
| KTXL-TV in Sacramento | |
| WXIN-TV in Indianapolis | |
| WTIC-TV in Hartford | |
| WPMT-TV in Harrisburg | |
| Orlando Sentinel/Time Warner launch Central Florida News 13 | |
| Metromix.com launches | |
| Tribune Entertainment launches “Earth:Final Conflict” | |
| 1998 | Tribune acquires KTWB-TV in Seattle |
| Tribune acquires WXMI-TV in Grand Rapids | |
| Tribune assumes management of WTXX-TV in Hartford | |
| First DTV station built; KTLA DT in Los Angeles | |
| 1999 | Tribune acquires WBDC-TV in Washington, D.C. |
| Tribune acquires WEWB-TV in Albany, N.Y. | |
| Tribune trades WGNX-TV in Atlanta for KCPQ-TV in Seattle | |
| Tribune Interactive Inc. established | |
| 2000 | Tribune acquires WATL-TV in Atlanta |
| Tribune acquires WNOL-TV in New Orleans | |
| CareerBuilder acquired in partnership with Knight Ridder | |
| Tribune acquires The Times Mirror Company | |
| Eight daily newspapers join Tribune Publishing Company: | |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| The Sun (Baltimore) | |
| Newsday (New York) | |
| Hoy (New York) | |
| The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) | |
| Hartford Courant | |
| Greenwich Time (Greenwich, Conn.) | |
| The Advocate (Stamford, Conn.) | |
| Tribune Education sold to The McGraw-Hill Companies | |
| Chicagosports.com launches | |
| Tribune Media Net created | |
| Tribune Entertainment launches “Andromeda” | |
| 2001 | Orlando Sentinel launches El Sentinel |
| Tribune/CareerBuilder/Knight Ridder acquire Headhunter.net | |
| Tribune Entertainment launches “Mutant X” | |
| 2002 | Tribune acquires WTTV-TV in Indianapolis |
| Chicago Tribune Company acquires Chicago magazine | |
| Sun-Sentinel launches el Sentinel | |
| Tribune Entertainment launches “Adventure Inc.” | |
| Chicago Tribune launches RedEye edition | |
| 2003 | Tribune acquires KPLR-TV in St. Louis |
| Tribune acquires KWBP-TV in Portland | |
| Tribune Publishing launches Hoy in Chicago | |
| Tribune Publishing launches amNewYork as majority owner | |
| 2004 | Tribune Publishing launches Hoy in Los Angeles |
| Tribune/Gannett/Knight Ridder acquire CrossMedia Services and launch ShopLocal.com | |
| 2005 | Tribune/Gannett/Knight Ridder acquire Topix.net |
| 2006 | Tribune Broadcasting affiliates with The CW Network |
| Tribune Broadcasting affiliates with Tube Music Network in first multicast initiative | |
| Tribune Interactive acquires ForSaleByOwner.com | |
| Tribune announces 75 million share stock repurchase | |
| Tribune/Gannett expand equity stakes in CareerBuilder.com, ShopLocal.com and Topix.net | |
| Tribune Publishing acquires full ownership in amNewYork | |
| 2007 | Tribune becomes private company |
| 2008 | Tribune and Cablevision form partnership to operate Newsday Media Group |
| Tribune files for Chapter 11 | |
| 2010 | Tribune and Ricketts family form joint venture to operate Chicago Cubs |
| Tribune Interactive becomes Tribune Digital | |
| 2011 | Tribune Broadcasting launches Antenna TV multicast network |
| 2012 | Tribune Company emerges from Chapter 11 |