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A brief history of Salt Lake Tribune owners since its birth — with photos of the paper through the years

Salt Lake Tribune - Historical File WWII Surrender Page
Two persons are standing near The Salt Lake Tribune newspapers stall.

Salt Lake Tribune - Historical File WWII Surrender Page Two persons are standing near The Salt Lake Tribune newspapers stall.

1870 • The Salt Lake Tribune was founded by three businessmen estranged from the LDS Church. It was called the Mormon Tribune for its first year.

1871 • Name changed to Salt Lake Daily Tribune.

1873 • Three Kansas businessmen buy The Tribune and turn it into an anti-Mormon newspaper.

1901 • U.S. Sen. Thomas Kearns and business partner David Keith buy the paper.

1918 • The Kearns family buys the Keith family's interest after David Keith's death.

1997 • The Kearns/McCarthey family sells Kearns-Tribune to Telecommunications Inc. (TCI) in $731 million stock deal, expecting to be able to buy it back later.

1999 • TCI is purchased by AT&T.

2000 • MediaNews Group buys The Tribune from AT&T, triggering a lawsuit by the McCartheys.

2007 • The McCarthey family agrees to end all lawsuits against MediaNews Group.

2010 • After MediaNews Group's bankruptcy, ownership of The Tribune shifts to Alden Global Capital, a New York City hedge fund.

2016 • Huntsman family agrees to purchase the print newspaper, its online edition and Web advertising arm.

Mike Gorrell

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