Landmarks
This chronology is indicative only.
Context is provided by the broader communications and media timeline.
Beginnings
1979 Jeffrey Smulyan buys WSVL FM in Shelbyville, Indiana
1980 forms Emmis Broadcasting
1981 renames WSVL as WENS for Indianapolis market
1983 buys WLOL FM in Minneapolis-St Paul
1984 buys KSHE FM in St Louis and KMGG in Los Angeles
1986 KMGG renamed KPWR
1986 buys WAPP-FM (renamed WQHT FM) and WHN AM (renamed WFAN) in New York from Doubleday Broadcasting
1986 buys WAVA FM in Washington from Doubleday Broadcasting
1988 buys 5 radio stations from NBC - onsells two, retains KYUU FM (now KXXX) in San Francisco, WKQX FM in Chicago and WJIB FM in Boston
1988 buys Indianapolis Monthly
1988 buys KKHT FM in Houston
1988 buys WPIX-FM New York from Tribune
1989 Smulyan and associates buy Seattle Mariners baseball team
1990 sells KKHT FM, KXXX FM, WLOL FM, WAVA FM, WJIB FM and WFAN FM
1992 sell Seattle Mariners
1993 buys Atlanta Monthly
1994 buys WIBC AM and WNAP FM in Indianapolis
1994 buys WRKS FM in New York
1994 becomes public company
1995 Emmis is first broadcaster to own top-rated radio stations in New York and Los Angeles simultaneously
1996 buys WKBQ AM and FM (renamed WXTM) in St Louis
1996 buys WKKX FM in St Louis
1997 buys WQCD FM in New York from Tribune
1997 buys WTLC AM and FM in Indianapolis
1997 buys Network Indiana and AgriAmerica networks in Indiana
1997 buys Cincinnati magazine
Into television
1998 buys KHON Hawaii and three mainland television stations from SF Broadcasting for US$307m
1998 buys Texas Monthly
1998 renamed Emmis Communications
1998 launches Slager Radio in Hungary
1999 buys Country Sampler from H&S Media
1999 buys WKCF TV in Orlando
1999 Liberty Media buys US$150m stake
1999 buys FM News (renamed Mega 98.3) and Radio 10 in Buenos Aires
1999 disposes of WTHI AM
2000 buys KXPK FM in Phoenix and KKFR FM in Denver from Clear Channel
2000 buys Los Angeles Magazine
2000 buys eight network-affiliated and seven satellite television stations from Lee Enterprises for US$562m - KOIN-6 Portland, KRQE-13 Albuquerque, KREZ-6 Durango, KBIM-10 Roswell, WSAZ-3 Huntington, KSNW-3 Wichita, KSNG-11 Garden City, KSNC-2 Great Bend, KSNK-8 Oberlin, KGMB-9 Honolulu, KGMD-9 Hilo, KGMV-3 Wailuku, KGUN-9 Tucson, KMTV-3 Omaha and KSNT-27 Topeka
2000 buys KPNT FM, KXOK FM, WVRV FM, WIL FM, WRTH FM and KIHT FM in St Louis from Sinclair
2000 swaps WIL FM, WRTH FM and WVRV FM for KZLA FM in Los Angeles
2001 buys KALC-FM from Salem Communications
2002 sells Denver stations KALC-FM and KXPK-FM for US$135m
2002 buys WBPG-TV in Mobile/Pensacola
2003 buys 50.1% of six-station radio cluster in Austin, Texas for US$105 million (Sinclair Telecable owns remaining 49.9%) - KLBJ-AM, KLBJ-FM, KGSR-FM, KROX-FM, KEYI-FM (103.5 Oldies), and KXMG-FM
2003 sells AgriAmerica Network to Learfield Communications
2003 sells two radio stations in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Mega 98.3 and Radio 10)
2003 buys nine radio stations in Flanders
2004 agreement with Bonneville to swap Phoenix radio stations (KTAR-AM, KMVP-AM and KKLT-FM) for WLUP-FM (The Loop) in Chicago and US$70m cash
2005 announces agreement to buy Slovakian D.EXPRES (Rádio Expres network) for US$14m
2005 announces sale of WALA-TV and WBPG-TV (Mobile), WTHI-TV (Terre Haute), WLUK-TV (Green Bay) and KRQE-TV (Albuquerque) to LIN TV Corp for US$260m
2005 announces sale of WFTX-TV (Fort Myers), KMTV-TV (Omaha) and KGUN-TV (Tucson) to Journal Communications for US$235m
2005 announces sale of WSAZ-TV (Huntington/Charleston) for US$186m to Gray Television
2006 Smulyan's ECC Acquisition Inc makes unsuccessful bid for remaining 83% of Emmis, valuing company at US$567m