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The world's greatest Chicago's popular WGN-TV owes its distinctive call letters to Col. Robert McCormick's proclamation of his Chicago Tribune as the "World's Greatest Newspaper." Today, Chicago-based Tribune Company is not only responsible for heading up the third-largest newspaper concern in the country due to its $8 billion merger with the LA-based Times Mirror Company (publisher of the LATimes), but it is also the seventh-largest daily newspaper in the U.S., owns and operates 11 daily newspapers, 22 television stations, radio stations, Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, and a television production company. In addition, Tribune has developed an educational book publishing division, online services such as the Orlando Sentinel Online, and a growing television network - the WB Network - through a joint venture with Time Warner. With such a rapidly expanding media empire, the only thing missing is a World Series ring. History Tribune's media empire was built on the back of the Chicago Tribune, founded in 1847, and led for most of its first 50 years by Joseph Medill. Tribune began to expand its operations into other media in the 20th century, launching its first radio venture in 1924 and entering television in 1948. Today, Tribune has a television station in nearly every major market. On the print side, its newspapers include the Baltimore Sun, The Hartford Courant, and New York's Newsday. Magazines aquired though the Times Mirror merger include Golf Magazine, Field & Stream, and Popular Science. The multimedia empire With the 1996 purchase of TV station conglomerate Renaissance Communications for $1.1 billion, Tribune's broadcasting business became nearly as large as its newspaper business. Despite a court order to sell either the South-Florida based Sun-Sentinel or WBZL-TV in Miami, Tribune has continued to challenge the federal ban on same-market cross-media ownership. The FCC has indicated that it may loosen regulations regarding cross-media ownership. If it does not, Tribune will have to sell either newspapers or television stations acquired in 2000 that are present in the same markets. In 1997, the company poured more than $30 million into its highly regarded Chicago Tribune web site and other interactive services. The following year saw the creation of an in-house multimedia newsroom for its newspaper, cable TV, and online journalists. In May 1999, Tribune Interactive was started, which combined the interactive departments of Tribune's newspapers, TV stations, and other products like BlackVoices.com and Go2Orlando.com. Through its Tribune Ventures division, the company has invested in online supermarket service Peapod, the Excite web portal, America Online, local service provider Digital City, online entertainment network Pseudo Programs, and web portal iVillage, to name a few. Tribune also owns a partial interest in job search service CareerPath, a consortium of classifieds from the country's leading newspapers; and in Classified Ventures, a partnership with seven other media companies that provide online classifieds for jobs, cars, and real estate. In early 1998, Tribune, which currently owns 25 percent of The WB Television Network, cut back Cubs game broadcasts to accommodate shows with national appeal, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena, Warrior Princess. That same year, a rookie pitcher Kerry Woods, and a Dominican slugger, Sammy Sosa, brought hope to Cubs fans everywhere. As the season progressed, the network added more games to its WGN-TV prime-time schedule. In July 2000 Knight Ridder teamed up with Tribune Co. to acquire and combine job sites CareerBuilder Inc. and CareerPath Inc. CareerBuilder cost the publishing companies $300 million; details of the CareerPath transaction were not released.
Positions at Tribune's major operations, such as the Chicago Tribune, can require anywhere from three to seven years of minimum previous work experience. If you're a recent college grad, and "you apply for a job as an editor or reporter through the Human Resources department, you'll probably get a rejection letter in a few days." Insiders at the Chicago Tribune say "no one in editorial is hired straight out of college." A good way to get into editorial is to "apply for a one-year internship/residency." Be advised, however, that to get into that program "you should have at least two internships at other newspapers." After a year with the Tribune, interns "have a nice line on their resumes, a few business contacts, some clips, and sometimes a going away party." Sources say "very few get unsolicited offers to stay on." However, as interns they have access to jobs that are posted in-house. "Once you know the people on the staff, and they know you, it's easy to network and find out about potential openings." Our contacts say "this applies to hiring as well as promotions." Moreover, "when a job for a senior editor or reporter is posted, it usually means there will soon be an opening for a junior editor or reporter." If you're interested in new media, sources tell us Tribune's Internet publications usually have entry-level openings. Applicants should consult Tribune's employment web page, located at www.tribjobs.com, for more detailed information on specific job openings. Insiders report that internal promotions are "encouraged."
People who care A large, "diverse" company, Tribune is blessed with "people who care about news, and about serving our readers." Insiders stress the importance of "getting it first and getting it as right, as we can, day after day." Says a source: "The workforce is diverse, highly motivated and professional." In the corporate offices, Tribune is considered an outstanding place to work. "As far as corporate environments go," one contact says, "I would have to say that Tribune is definitely one of the best when it comes to large companies." Insiders add that the atmosphere "is more like a team or a family than a high-pressure organization" and say "management delegates responsibilities and does not micromanage." Not only does Tribune's size create "more advancement opportunities" than at similar media companies," it gives each of its ventures "access to extensive financial resources." However, because it is publicly held, Tribune has to have "a commitment to fiscal responsibility." Not surprisingly, insiders at the Chicago Tribune comment that "some would like to see more money spent to hire more reporters and support personnel." "We depend on freelancers a lot more than we did 10 years ago," comments one source. Moving into the digital age While Tribune's traditional media businesses are more "staid" and "established," Tribune's more recent ventures foster a "creative," "entrepreneurial" environment. Notes one source from the Chicago Tribune: while "the traditional ink-on-paper part of the newspaper is still the flagship of the operation," the company has been spending a great deal on the company's "rapidly expanding digital communication enterprises." Good atmosphere, benefits Employees call the atmosphere "collegial" and "casual" but say that entry-level employees rarely "receive feedback - positive or negative." Insiders say the benefits are "the best that I've seen" the pay is "good by industry standards" and "raises and advancement are slow, but steady." Our contacts advise new hires to "negotiate the best salary you can get." One favorite benefit, say insiders, is the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Other perks are "similar to those offered by other large companies." Dress depends on the business unit or department at Tribune, "but people know what is appropriate." One source tells us that "the younger, and somewhat newer staff tends to follow one of two schools of thought: I'll dress casual because it's comfortable; and I'll dress a bit more conservatively because I think it will help me get ahead."
Human Resources
Belo;Fox;Hollinger More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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