[4][5][6][7] Two months later, the Tribune's then-sibling newspaper in New York City, the Daily News, established its own television station, independent WPIX.

[8] WGN-TV became an independent outlet by 1956, and would eventually morph into a pioneering national superstation on November 9, 1978, as its signal was linked to cable and satellite customers across America.

The company gained its third television and second radio station in 1960, when it purchased KDAL-TV (now KDLH) and KDAL (AM) in Duluth, Minnesota, from the estate of the late Dalton LeMasurier (Tribune sold KDAL-TV in 1978 and KDAL radio in 1981); the company would later purchase KCTO (subsequently re-called KWGN-TV) in Denver from J. Elroy McCaw in 1966.

[14][15][16] Tribune's later television purchases included those of WANX-TV (later renamed WGNX) in Atlanta and WGNO in New Orleans (both in 1983);[17] KTLA in Los Angeles (in 1985),[18] WPHL-TV in Philadelphia (in 1992).

[19] WLVI-TV in Boston (owned from 1994 to 2006);[20] KHTV (now KIAH) in Houston (in 1995);[21] KTTY (now KSWB-TV) in San Diego (in 1996);[22] WXMI in Grand Rapids, Michigan, KCPQ and KTWB-TV (now KZJO) in Seattle (in 1998 and 1999, respectively);[23][24] and WBDC-TV (now WDCW) in Washington, D.C. (in 1999).

On July 2, 1996, Tribune acquired Renaissance Broadcasting, which owned Fox- and WB-affiliated stations in several large and mid-sized markets for $1.13 billion.

[37] On December 30, 2002, Tribune announced that it would acquire WB affiliates KPLR-TV in St. Louis, Missouri and KWBP (now known as KRCW-TV) in Portland, Oregon from ACME Communications for $275 million, the acquisition was completed on March 21, 2003.

As the company had sufficient funds to do so, Tribune continued to operate its newspaper publishing and broadcasting, and interactive businesses without interruption during the restructuring.

[59][60][61][62] On May 7, 2017, it was reported that Sinclair Broadcast Group was nearing a deal to purchase Tribune Media,[63][64] and that 21st Century Fox had dropped its bid for the company.

The new company will produce programs primarily for Tribune Broadcasting's television stations and WGN America, some of which will receive national distribution.