Chicago Tribune
Founded 1847; long styled 'World's Greatest Newspaper'.
The Chicago Tribune is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1847, it was once branded the "World's Greatest Newspaper," a slogan that gave WGN radio and television their call letters. It is the most-read daily in the Chicago area and the Great Lakes region, and ranks sixth in print circulation nationwide. In the 1850s, under Joseph Medill, the paper aligned with Abraham Lincoln and the progressive wing of the new Republican Party. Later, under Medill’s grandson, Colonel Robert R. McCormick, it became known for crusading journalism and a conservative stance that opposed Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. Through family and corporate ties to the New York Daily News and the Washington Times-Herald, its influence extended beyond Chicago. For much of the 20th century and into the early 21st, it maintained overseas news bureaus. In the 1960s, its parent company, Tribune Company, began buying other daily papers. In 2008, the Tribune’s editorial page endorsed a Democrat for president for the first time, backing Illinois senator Barack Obama. Originally a broadsheet, the paper announced in January 2009 that it would keep that format for home delivery but switch to tabloid for newsstands and commuter sales. The change was unpopular, and by August 2011 the Tribune dropped the tabloid edition, returning to broadsheet for all distribution. The paper was owned by Tribune Publishing until May 2021, when Alden Global Capital acquired it, operating through Digital First Media. Since then, coverage has shifted away from national and international news toward Illinois and Chicago-area stories. The Tribune settled a lawsuit over illegal consumer charges in 2013 and faced another suit for deceptive billing in 2023.
- founded
- 1847
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Slogan 'World's Greatest Newspaper'; influence on Chicago and national politics;
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The Tribune was founded by James Kelly, John E. Wheeler, and Joseph K. C. Forrest, publishing its first edition on June 10, 1847. Initially politically unaffiliated, it formally affiliated with the nativist Know Nothing Party on February 10, 1855. Under new editors including Joseph Medill, it distanced itself from the Know-Nothings and became the main Chicago organ of the Republican Party, strongly supporting Abraham Lincoln and pushing an abolitionist agenda before and during the Civil War. In the 20th century, under Colonel Robert R. McCormick, the paper was strongly isolationist and aligned with the Old Right, excoriating Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. It sponsored a pioneering Arctic aviation attempt in 1929, though the aircraft was destroyed by ice near Ungava Bay. The Tribune hosted an international design competition for its new headquarters, Tribune Tower, in 1922, with a neo-Gothic design by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood winning; construction was completed in 1925.
Reader's Guide
The Chicago Tribune's significance lies in its long history as a dominant voice in American journalism and politics. It helped shape the Republican Party in the 1850s and later became a flagship of conservative opinion under McCormick. Its innovations included buying an early radio station in 1924 and renaming it WGN, standing for 'World's Greatest Newspaper', and launching WGN Television on April 5, 1948. The Tribune's legendary sports editor Arch Ward created the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 1933. The paper's editorial page endorsed a Democrat for president for the first time in 2008, backing Barack Obama. In the 21st century, it faced legal challenges, including a 2013 settlement over illegal charges to consumers and a 2023 lawsuit over deceptive billing practices. After acquisition by Alden Global Capital in May 2021, its coverage shifted toward Illinois and especially Chicago-area news. The Tribune's legacy includes its role in political crusades, its iconic building, and its adaptation to changing media formats, including a brief switch to tabloid format for newsstand sales in 2009 that proved unpopular and was discontinued in August 2011.
Did You Know?
- The Tribune's call letters WGN stand for 'World's Greatest Newspaper', a slogan the paper formerly used for itself.
- In 1919, Henry Ford sued the Chicago Tribune for libel after it called him an 'anarchist'; Ford won but was awarded only six cents.
- The Tribune obtained the text of the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919, one of its great scoops.
- The Tribune's June 7, 1942 front-page article implied the U.S. had broken Japan's naval code, enraging President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- From 1934, the Tribune championed modified spelling for simplicity, compiling lists of common words with 'saner' spellings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Chicago Tribune?
The Chicago Tribune is an American daily newspaper headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, first published in 1847. It has long carried the self-styled motto "World's Greatest Newspaper" and remains the most widely read daily paper in the Chicago metro area and the broader Great Lakes region.
What is the Chicago Tribune famous for?
Beyond its journalism, the paper is closely tied to the iconic Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago, the WGN radio and television call letters, and a storied history of shaping both local and national political discourse. Its long-running slogan "World's Greatest Newspaper" became a cultural touchstone in American media.
What role did the Chicago Tribune play in U.S. politics?
In the 19th century the paper was a vocal champion of Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party, helping to shape national political conversation. Under Colonel Robert R. McCormick's ownership in the 20th century, it shifted toward backing conservative causes and became a prominent voice in right-leaning journalism.
When was the Chicago Tribune founded?
The newspaper was established in 1847 in Chicago, Illinois, and has been published continuously as a daily since then. Over its more than 175-year run it grew from a local sheet into one of the most influential dailies in the country.
Why is the Chicago Tribune still important today?
It continues to serve as the primary daily newspaper for readers across the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region. Its archives, investigative reporting, and the physical landmark of the Tribune Tower keep the brand central to Chicago's identity and to American media history.
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