History of IHeartMedia in Timeline

iHeartMedia, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a major American mass media corporation. Originally founded as Clear Channel Communications in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, the company evolved into iHeartMedia. In 2008, it was taken private through a leveraged buyout by Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners. It operates as the holding company for iHeartCommunications, Inc., showcasing its significant presence in the media and entertainment landscape.

1948: WOAI-TV Original Call Letters

In 1948, WOAI-TV used its original call letters until 1974.

1950: WSYR-TV Original Call Letters

In 1950, WSYR-TV used its original call letters from 1950 to 1980.

1955: AM Oldies Stations Playlists

The AM oldies stations' playlists span from 1955 to about 1975.

1956: WHAM-TV Original Call Letters

In 1956, WHAM-TV used its original call letters for an unrelated Rochester station WROC-TV.

1964: AM Oldies Stations Playlists

About 60 percent of the time, AM oldies stations play 1964 to 1969 oldies.

1969: AM Oldies Stations Playlists

About 60 percent of the time, AM oldies stations play 1964 to 1969 oldies.

1972: First FM station purchase

In 1972, Clear Channel Communications purchased its first FM station in San Antonio, Texas.

1972: Company Founded

In 1972, Lowry Mays and Red McCombs founded Clear Channel Communications, Inc., which would later become iHeartMedia, Inc.

1974: WOAI-TV used Original Call Letters

In 1974, WOAI-TV used its original call letters since 1948.

1975: Purchase of WOAI

In 1975, the company purchased the second "clear channel" AM station WOAI.

1975: AM Oldies Stations Playlists

The AM oldies stations' playlists span from 1955 to about 1975.

1976: Expansion outside San Antonio

In 1976, the company purchased its first stations outside of San Antonio, including KXXO (now KAKC) and KMOD-FM in Tulsa.

1980: WSYR-TV Original Call Letters

In 1980, WSYR-TV used its original call letters since 1950.

1988: Clear Channel Television in Operation

In 1988 Clear Channel Television began operations.

1988: First Television Station Purchased

In 1988, iHeartMedia, then Clear Channel, purchased its first television station, WPMI in Mobile, Alabama, as Clear Channel.

March 13, 1989: Clear Channel Television Buys KOKI-TV

On March 13, 1989, Clear Channel Television bought KOKI-TV for $6.5 million.

1990: Clear Channel Buys KSAS-TV

In 1990, Clear Channel bought its fifth television station, KSAS-TV in Wichita, Kansas, for $7.9 million.

1991: Clear Channel Enters Local Marketing Agreements

In 1991, Clear Channel Television began entering local marketing agreements, starting with WJTC, operated through an LMA with WPMI.

1991: Clear Channel Buys KLRT-TV

In 1991, Clear Channel bought KLRT-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas for $6.6 million.

1992: Clear Channel Buys WPTY-TV

In 1992, Clear Channel bought WPTY-TV in Memphis from Chase Communications for $21 million.

1992: KASN Enters LMA with KLRT-TV

In 1992, KASN entered into a local marketing agreement with Clear Channel's KLRT-TV. Also, Clear Channel entered into a deal with Providence Journal Company to operate KTTU through a local marketing agreement.

1992: Relaxation of radio ownership rules

In 1992, the U.S. Congress relaxed radio ownership rules, allowing the company to acquire more than two stations per market.

1993: Clear Channel Buys KITN-TV

In 1993, Clear Channel bought KITN-TV in Minneapolis/St. Paul from Nationwide Communications.

1993: Clear Channel Enters LMA with RDS Communications

In 1993, Clear Channel entered into a local marketing agreement with RDS Communications to operate KTFO-TV in Tulsa.

1994: Clear Channel Buys WXXA-TV

In 1994, Clear Channel bought WXXA-TV in Albany from Heritage Communications for $25.5 million.

1994: Fox Announces Purchase of WHBQ-TV

In 1994, Fox announced its intention to purchase WHBQ-TV, displacing Clear Channel's WPTY-TV as its Fox Memphis affiliate. Also that year, Clear Channel's WPMI-TV in Mobile was set to be displaced as Mobile's Fox affiliate by WALA-TV.

1994: WTEV-TV Enters LMA with WAWS

In 1994, in Jacksonville, WTEV-TV entered into a local marketing agreement with WAWS, the Clear Channel television station.

1995: Ownership of radio and TV stations

By 1995, Clear Channel owned 43 radio stations and 16 television stations.

1995: Clear Channel Purchases WHP-TV

In 1995, Clear Channel purchased its first Big Three network affiliate, WHP-TV in Harrisburg, for $30 million. Later that year, J. Dan Sullivan left Clear Channel Television.

1996: Telecommunications Act of 1996

Following the Telecommunications Act of 1996, FCC regulations were relaxed, allowing companies to own far more radio stations than before. Clear Channel spent about $30 billion to acquire over 1,200 stations nationwide.

1996: Clear Channel Buys WPRI-TV

In 1996, Clear Channel bought WPRI-TV in Providence from CBS. Also that year, Argyle Television Holdings II entered into a LMA with Clear Channel's WPRI.

1996: Capstar Broadcasting Founded

R. Steven Hicks and Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst began Capstar Broadcasting in 1996.

August 1997: Capstar Broadcasting acquisition of SFX Broadcasting

In August 1997, Capstar and Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst announced plans to acquire SFX Broadcasting, with the resulting company owning 314 stations in 79 markets and ranking as the third-largest radio group by income.

1997: Purchase of Eller Media

In 1997, Clear Channel expanded and diversified its business by purchasing Eller Media, a billboard media company.

1998: Expansion outside the US

In 1998, Clear Channel expanded outside of the US by acquiring More Group plc, a UK outdoor advertising company. Chancellor Media Corporation and Capstar Broadcasting Corporation also announced a merger.

October 3, 1999: Acquisition of AMFM Inc.

On October 3, 1999, Clear Channel announced a deal to acquire AMFM Inc., valuing the company at $17.4 billion.

October 4, 1999: Announcement of AMFM Inc. acquisition

On October 4, 1999, Clear Channel announced it would acquire AMFM Inc., the nation's second-largest radio company for $23.5 billion.

August 16, 2000: Regulatory approval for AMFM acquisition

On August 16, 2000, Clear Channel received approval from federal regulators for its acquisition of AMFM Inc.

August 30, 2000: Completion of AMFM Inc. acquisition

On August 30, 2000, Clear Channel completed its acquisition of AMFM Inc.

2000: Clear Channel Acquires Jacor Communications

In 2000, Clear Channel acquired Jacor Communications, incorporating WKRC-TV in Cincinnati into the Clear Channel Television branch. Also in 2000, Clear Channel sold WPRI to Sunrise Television for $50 million.

2000: Acquisition of SFX Entertainment

In 2000, Clear Channel acquired Robert F. X. Sillerman's SFX Entertainment, a concert promoter.

September 13, 2001: Clear Channel Generates a List of Songs Deemed Inappropriate After 9/11 Attacks

On Thursday, September 13, 2001, following the September 11 attacks, Clear Channel generated a small list of songs deemed inappropriate for broadcast during the time of national mourning. Individual program directors added many of their own songs, resulting in a list of about 150 songs published on the Internet.

2001: William Moll Becomes President of Clear Channel Television

In 2001, William Moll became the president of Clear Channel Television, replacing Rioridan.

2001: Fox Television Stations Traded WFTC to Clear Channel Television

In 2001, after acquiring the stations of Chris-Craft Industries, Fox Television Stations traded WFTC to Clear Channel Television for Fox's own TV stations KMOL-TV in San Antonio and KTVX in Salt Lake City.

January 18, 2002: Minot, North Dakota Train Derailment

On January 18, 2002, in Minot, North Dakota, a Canadian Pacific Railway train derailed, leaking 240,000 US gallons of toxic anhydrous ammonia. City officials struggled to contact the local Clear Channel office to spread warnings of the danger, but it took several hours before the station manager was reached, resulting in delayed emergency broadcasts.

2002: Clear Channel Acquired Ackerley Group

In 2002, Clear Channel acquired Ackerley Group, which incorporated its television holdings into the Clear Channel Television portfolio. Also in 2002, Clear Channel sold KTTU in Tucson to Belo outright.

2002: KMOL-TV Rebranded to WOAI-TV

In 2002, San Antonio's Clear Channel station KMOL-TV was rebranded to WOAI-TV, matching up with radio sister WOAI-AM.

2003: Clear Channel Announces Sale of WUTR

In 2003, Clear Channel announced that they would sell WUTR to Mission Broadcasting.

2003: Vertical Real Estate Division Created

In 2003, Clear Channel created the Vertical Real Estate division to promote its tower portfolio.

June 2004: Viacom Files Lawsuit Against Clear Channel

In June 2004, Viacom/Infinity Broadcasting Inc./One Twelve Inc. filed a $10 million lawsuit against Clear Channel for breaking contracts and non-payment of licensing fees due to the dropping of Howard Stern's show from six Clear Channel-owned stations.

September 2004: Alfredo Alonso Joins Clear Channel

In September 2004, Alfredo Alonso joined Clear Channel as senior vice president of Hispanic Radio.

2004: Clear Channel Acquired Instant Live Patent

In 2004, Clear Channel acquired a key patent in the process of producing Instant Live recordings, which allowed live performances to be recorded directly from the sound engineer's console and rapidly burned on CD for audience members to purchase.

2004: Clear Channel Bought WETM Outright

In 2004, Clear Channel bought WETM outright after the death of Robert Smith, the founder of Smith Broadcasting.

2004: Clear Channel Settles Lawsuit with NIPP

In 2004, Clear Channel settled a lawsuit with Denver concert promoter Nobody In Particular Presents (NIPP), who alleged that Clear Channel halted airplay on its local stations for NIPP clients and restricted NIPP's ability to publicize concerts on the air. Clear Channel paid NIPP a confidential sum.

2005: Clear Channel Acquired KUWB

In 2005, Clear Channel acquired another Salt Lake City television station KUWB from Acme Communications for $18.5 million in cash.

2005: Spin-off of Live Nation

In 2005, Clear Channel spun off its entertainment and live events business as Live Nation.

2005: KTVX Refusal to Air Political Message

In 2005, Clear Channel-owned KTVX, a television station in Salt Lake City, refused to air a paid political message from Cindy Sheehan against the Iraq War during President Bush's visit.

2005: WOKR Rebranded to WHAM-TV

In 2005, WOKR, the Rochester Clear Channel affiliate was rebranded to WHAM-TV, matching up for radio sister WHAM-AM. Also that year, sister station in Syracuse, WIXT was rebranded to WSYR-TV, matching up for radio sister WSYR-AM.

2005: Spun off live events business

In 2005, the company spun off its live events business as Live Nation Entertainment.

2005: Divestment of stations

In 2005, the courts ruled that Clear Channel must divest itself of some "border blaster" radio stations in international border cities, such as XETRA-FM ("91X") in Tijuana/San Diego.

November 16, 2006: Announcement to go private

On November 16, 2006, Clear Channel announced plans to go private, being bought out by Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital Partners for $26.7 billion, including assumed debt.

2006: Don Perry Named President and CEO of Clear Channel Television

In 2006, Don Perry was then named president and CEO of Clear Channel Television.

March 13, 2007: Clear Channel's Instant Live Patent Revoked

On March 13, 2007, Clear Channel's patent for Instant Live recordings was revoked after it was found to infringe on a prior patent granted for Telex.

April 23, 2007: Sale of television stations to Newport Television

On April 23, 2007, Clear Channel's television stations were sold to Newport Television, a broadcaster owned by Providence Equity Partners.

December 4, 2007: Extension of buyout termination date

On December 4, 2007, Clear Channel announced that they had extended the termination date of the buyout from December 12, 2007, to June 12, 2008.

December 12, 2007: Original termination date of buyout

December 12, 2007 was the original termination date of the buyout.

2007: Difficulty selling radio stations

In 2007, Clear Channel encountered difficulty selling some of its radio stations due to the credit market crunch.

2007: Bruce Springsteen's album censored

In 2007, iHeartMedia, then Clear Channel, was criticized for censoring Bruce Springsteen's album "Magic", which contained songs subtly critical of Republican President George W. Bush. Some stations refused to play the album.

2007: Agreement to Sell Television Stations

In 2007, the company entered into an agreement to sell all its television stations to Providence Equity Partners for $1.2 billion.

March 2008: Sale of Television Stations Closed

In March 2008, the deal to sell all of Clear Channel's television stations to Providence Equity Partners closed.

June 12, 2008: Extension of buyout termination date

June 12, 2008 was the date Clear Channel extended the termination date of the buyout.

July 24, 2008: Shareholder acceptance of revised buyout offer

On July 24, 2008, Clear Channel held a special shareholder meeting, during which the majority of shareholders accepted a revised $36-per-share offer from Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners.

2008: Buyout

As a result of the buyout in 2008, Clear Channel Communications, Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of CC Media Holdings, Inc.

2008: Struggles with debt

Beginning in 2008, iHeartMedia struggled to pay down more than $20 billion in debt the company assumed from its leveraged buyout.

2008: Clear Channel Television Ended Operation

In 2008, Clear Channel Television ended its operation.

January 20, 2009: Layoffs announced

On January 20, 2009, the company announced it would move to more centralized programming and lay off approximately 7% of its workforce.

May 2009: Restructuring completion

By the completion of the restructuring in May 2009, a total of 2,440 positions were eliminated.

June 2010: Clear Channel Rejects LGBT Advertising

In June 2010, Clear Channel Outdoor rejected two digital billboard images submitted by St. Pete Pride, an LGBT organization, leading the group to cancel its contract. The organization suggested it was because of affectionate same-sex poses depicted in the ads.

June 23, 2010: Mark Mays steps down as CEO

On June 23, 2010, Mark Mays stepped down as president and CEO of Clear Channel after 21 years.

June 2012: iHeartMedia Partners with Record Labels for Performance Royalties

In June 2012, iHeartMedia announced that it would be the first U.S. radio group to partner with record labels to pay performance royalties directly to labels and musicians. The royalties are paid via revenue sharing for advertising across platforms, with Big Machine Label Group as the first partner.

2012: Newport Sold Off Holdings

From 2012 to mid-2013, Newport sold off all of its holdings to several other television groups.

August 2013: Sale of stake in Sirius XM

In August 2013, Clear Channel sold its minority stake in Sirius XM for $135.5 million.

2013: Newport Sold Off Holdings

From 2012 to mid-2013, Newport sold off all of its holdings to several other television groups.

2013: WOR Acquired by Clear Channel

In 2013, WOR in New York City was acquired by Clear Channel.

January 6, 2014: Marketing partnership with SFX Entertainment

On January 6, 2014, Clear Channel announced a marketing partnership with Robert F. X. Sillerman's SFX Entertainment to collaborate on electronic dance music content.

May 8, 2014: FCC Rescinds Zapple Doctrine

On May 8, 2014, the FCC rescinded the Zapple doctrine after a complaint was made against iHeartMedia owned Capstar TX LLC by supporters of Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett. The complaint alleged that WISN radio, owned by Capstar, provided free airtime to Governor Scott Walker's supporters but not to Barrett, violating the Zapple doctrine.

September 2014: Renaming to iHeartMedia

In September 2014, it was announced that Clear Channel Communications would be renamed iHeartMedia, alluding to its iHeartRadio platform.

September 16, 2014: Rebranding to iHeartMedia

On September 16, 2014, CC Media Holdings, Inc. was rebranded as iHeartMedia, Inc., and Clear Channel Communications, Inc., became iHeartCommunications, Inc.

2014: WOR Began Carrying Rush Limbaugh Show

In 2014, WOR began carrying The Rush Limbaugh Show following a long relationship with WABC.

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2015: Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx Ended

At the end of 2015, the show Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx ended its run on some iHeartMedia rock stations.

2015: KYLD Shifts to Top 40/CHR

In 2015, KYLD in San Francisco shifted to Top 40/CHR from rhythmic Top 40.

2015: iHeartCountry Franchise Launched

In 2015, iHeartMedia launched the iHeartCountry franchise, which includes the iHeartRadio Country Festival, a live music concert held each year and recorded for television.

September 2016: Enrique Santos Hired as Chairman of iHeartLatino

In September 2016, iHeartMedia hired Enrique Santos as chairman and chief creative officer of the newly formed iHeartLatino division.

November 2016: WXXM Flips to Classic Hits

In November 2016, WXXM in Madison, Wisconsin, flipped to a classic hits format due to a lack of syndicated progressive talk programming, after iHeartMedia had initially wanted to change the station to a sports format but faced listener protest.

2016: Board member change

In 2016, Julia B. Donnelly left the board of iHeartCommunications and was replaced by Laura A. Grattan.

2016: KISQ Flipped to AC

In 2016, KISQ in San Francisco flipped to AC from rhythmic oldies.

2016: NBC News Radio Co-Branding

In 2016, iHeartMedia's Total Traffic and Weather Network's 24/7 News channel began co-branding as NBC News Radio after iHeart/TTWN and NBC News formed a brand licensing and content agreement.

April 20, 2017: Survival Warning

On April 20, 2017, iHeartMedia warned investors that it might not survive over the following 10 months.

November 30, 2017: Creditors reject debt restructuring proposal

On November 30, 2017, it was reported that a group of creditors had rejected iHeartMedia's latest debt restructuring proposal, instead presenting a deal where the company might file for bankruptcy.

2017: IHM Produced Rhythmic AC Programming

In 2017, for IHM's 3rd season they produced rhythmic AC programming.

March 15, 2018: Filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

On March 15, 2018, iHeartMedia filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

September 2018: Acquisition of Stuff Media

In September 2018, iHeartMedia acquired HowStuffWorks' podcast network Stuff Media for $55 million.

November 19, 2018: Intent to acquire Jelli

On November 19, 2018, iHeartMedia announced its intent to acquire Jelli, the provider of a programmatic advertising platform for radio stations.

2018: Resurgence in Soft AC with "The Breeze"

As of 2018, "The Breeze" brought a resurgence in Soft AC, targeted towards millennial listeners on iHeartMedia's Adult contemporary stations.

2018: Art Bell's Death

In 2018, Art Bell, whose recorded Coast to Coast AM programs from the late 1990s and early 2000s were being aired on some iHeart-owned stations and syndicated by Premiere Networks, passed away.

January 2019: Bankruptcy Court Approval

In January 2019, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved a creditor-supported plan for iHeartMedia to exit bankruptcy.

March 2019: WSAN Launched All-Podcast Format

In March 2019, iHeartMedia's Allentown, Pennsylvania outlet, WSAN, launched an all-podcast format.

April 2019: Proposed Initial Public Offering

In April 2019, iHeartMedia filed a proposed initial public offering.

May 2019: Clear Channel Outdoor Spun Out

In May 2019, Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO) was spun out from iHeartMedia as part of its exit from bankruptcy.

May 2019: Emergence from bankruptcy

In May 2019, iHeartMedia emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

November 2019: K256AS/KUCD-HD2 Launched Variant Top 40 Format

In November 2019, K256AS/KUCD-HD2 in Honolulu launched a variant Top 40 format with a focus on K-pop and other international pop hits.

2019: Spun off out-of-home advertising business

In 2019, the company spun off its out-of-home advertising business as Clear Channel Outdoor.

January 14, 2020: iHeartMedia Announces Restructuring

On January 14, 2020, iHeartMedia announced a major restructuring to modernize the company and leverage investments in new technology. This included reorganizing the Markets Group into Regions, Metropolitan, and Communities divisions, adding a multi-market partnerships unit, and developing centers of excellence focused on technology investments.

June 30, 2020: iHeartMedia Announces the Black Information Network

On June 30, 2020, iHeartMedia announced a new all-news radio brand, the Black Information Network (BIN), which is targeted towards African Americans and is heard on iHeartMedia stations in dozens of cities, with WBIN Atlanta as the flagship station.

2020: iHeartSports Network Launched

In 2020, iHeartMedia launched the iHeartSports Network.

2021: Death of Rush Limbaugh

Before his death in 2021, The Rush Limbaugh Show was carried on iHeartMedia stations in markets where the company has a news/talk station.