In 1986, the Tribune was bought by Michael Gartner and Gary Gerlach, two former executives at The Des Moines Register.

[2] Gartner won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing at the Tribune.

The Omaha World-Herald Company bought the Ames Tribune in 1999 from Gartner, Gerlach, and the estate of David Belin.

[3] Stephens Media purchased the Tribune from the Omaha World-Herald Company in 2010.

[6] New Media acquired Gannett Company in 2019, making the Tribune a sibling publication to The Des Moines Register.