COMPANYHISTORIES
SIC 4832

Radio Broadcasting Stations

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

34companies1851–1997founding years32still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedThe New York Times Company
1851
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedJefferson-Pilot Corporation
1907
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedBritish Broadcasting Corporation Ltd.
1922
1925
EconomyThe Grand Ole Opry begins broadcasting from Nashville.
FoundedMuzak, Inc.
1934
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedRoularta Media Group NV
1954
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedBonneville International Corporation
1964
FoundedChrysalis Group plc
1968
FoundedMorris Communications CorporationFoundedSusquehanna Pfaltzgraff Company
1970
FoundedCanWest Global Communications CorporationFoundedCapital Radio plc
1973
FoundedClear Channel Communications, Inc.
1974
FoundedWestwood One, Inc.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedSpanish Broadcasting System, Inc.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedMediaNews Group, Inc.
1985
FoundedSaga Communications, Inc.
1986
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedHispanic Broadcasting Corporation
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedModern Times Group AB
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

The New York Times Company →
Active · founded 1851
The New York Times Company (NYTC) is a diversified media company including newspapers, magazines, television and radio…
Jefferson-Pilot Corporation →
Active · founded 1907
Jefferson-Pilot Corporation is a major U.S.
Rogers Communications Inc. →
Active · founded 1920 · Canada
The largest communications company in Canada, Rogers Communications Inc.
British Broadcasting Corporation Ltd. →
Active · founded 1922 · England
The British Broadcasting Corporation Ltd.
Japan Broadcasting Corporation (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) →
Active · founded 1926 · Japan
The Japan Broadcasting Corporation, better known as NHK, is Japan's national public broadcasting network, as…
Muzak, Inc. →
Active · founded 1934
A fixture of the American soundscape, Muzak, Inc.
EMAP plc →
Active · founded 1947 · United Kingdom
EMAP plc is a world-leading publisher of specialty and business-to-business magazines, with such titles as FHM, Smash…
Roularta Media Group NV →
Active · founded 1954 · Belgium
Roularta Media Group NV is a Belgian-based media conglomerate.
Hachette Filipacchi Medias S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1957 · France
The June 1997 fusion of Filipacchi Medias S.A.
Bonneville International Corporation →
Active · founded 1964
Bonneville International Corporation operates Salt Lake City's KSL-TV and also KCSG-TV in St.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1965
Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
Chrysalis Group plc →
Active · founded 1968 · United Kingdom
Chrysalis Group plc is a U.K.-based media and entertainment company that owns radio stations, produces television…
Multimedia, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
One of the most profitable media communications companies in the United States, Multimedia, Inc.
Morris Communications Corporation →
Active · founded 1970
Morris Communications Corporation (MCC) is a mid-sized media company with holdings in diverse media.
National Public Radio, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
National Public Radio, Inc.
Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff Company →
Active · founded 1970
Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff Company is a holding company whose major subsidiary is The Pfaltzgraff Co., an historic…
Grupo Televisa, S.A. →
Active · founded 1972 · Mexico
Grupo Televisa, S.A.
CanWest Global Communications Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1973 · Canada
CanWest Global Communications Corporation is Canada's largest private sector television broadcaster.
Capital Radio plc →
Active · founded 1973 · United Kingdom
London-based Capital Radio plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading radio and media groups.
Virgin Group →
Active · founded 1973 · United Kingdom
Virgin Group is a diversified grouping of more than 200 privately held companies.
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1974
A fast-growing, diversified media company, Clear Channel Communications, Inc., operates nearly 200 radio stations and…
Ackerley Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
Ackerley Communications, Inc.
Westwood One, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
The second largest producer and distributor of radio programs in the United States, Westwood One, Inc.
Emmis Communications Corporation →
Active · founded 1980
Emmis Communications Corporation is a diversified media company with interests in radio, television, and publishing.
Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
The Florida-based Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc.
IXC Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
IXC Communications, Inc., is among five "new-age carriers" (a group including Frontier Corporation, Level 3…
MediaNews Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
MediaNews Group, Inc., is the seventh largest newspaper company in the United States.
Bloomberg L.P. →
Active · founded 1986
Bloomberg L.P.
Saga Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1986
In the Nordic language, "saga" means an ongoing adventure.
Citadel Communications Corporation →
Active · founded 1991
Citadel Communications Corporation ranks among the top six owners of U.S.
Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation →
Active · founded 1992
Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation (HBC) is the largest Spanish-language radio broadcasting company in the United States.
Chancellor Media Corporation →
Active · founded 1993
Consolidation of radio station ownership accelerated dramatically following the passage of the Telecommunications Act…
Modern Times Group AB →
Active · founded 1995 · Sweden
Sweden's Modern Times Group AB (MTG) is one of the Scandinavian market's leading media companies, with interests…
Cumulus Media Inc. →
Active · founded 1997
Since it was established in 1997, Cumulus Media Inc.
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