content: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
  
  
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  
  
                                   July 26, 1996
                                   -------------
                                   Date of Report
  
  
  
  
  
                                   TRIBUNE COMPANY
                                   ---------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
  
                                      Delaware
                                      --------
                   (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
  
  
            1-8572                                           36-1880355
            ------                                           ----------
  (Commission File Number)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  
  
  435 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois                  60611
  - --------------------------------------------                  -----
    (Address of principal executive offices)                  (Zip Code)
  
  
          Registrant's telephone number, including area code (312) 222-9100
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
  Item 7.           Financial Statements and Exhibits
                    --------------------------------- 
  (a)      Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired
  
           On July 1, 1996, Tribune Company announced that it had entered into an
           Agreement and Plan of Merger to acquire Renaissance Communications
           Corp. The following financial statements of Renaissance Communications
           Corp. required by this Item 7(a) are included herein as Exhibit 99.1
           and incorporated herein by reference:
  
               o    the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Renaissance Communications 
                    Corp. for the year ended December 31, 1995 and
               o    the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Renaissance 
                    Communications Corp. for the quarter ended March 31, 1996.
  
  (b)      Pro forma financial information
  
           The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet as of
           March 31,1996 and unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated income
           statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995 and the quarter
           ended March 31, 1996, filed as Exhibit 99.2 hereto and incorporated by
           reference herein.
  
  
  (c)      Exhibits
  
           23       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
  
           99.1     Financial statements of Renaissance Communications Corp. for 
                    the year ended December 31, 1995 and for the quarter ended 
                    March 31, 1996.
  
           99.2     Unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet as of
                    March 31,1996 and unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated
                    income statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995
                    and the quarter ended March 31, 1996.
  
                                          1
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
                                      SIGNATURE
  
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
                                      TRIBUNE COMPANY
  
  
  
  
                                      By /s/ R. Mark Mallory
                                         ------------------- 
                                         R. Mark Mallory
                                         Vice President and Controller
  
  
  July 26, 1996
  
  
  
                                          2
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
                                    -------------
  
  
  
  Exhibit No.          Exhibit Description
  - -----------          -------------------
  
      23               Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
  
      99.1             Financial statements of Renaissance Communications Corp. 
                       set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Renaissance
                       Communications Corp. for the year ended December 31, 1995 
                       and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Renaissance 
                       Communications Corp. for the quarter ended March 31, 1996.
  
      99.2             Unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet 
                       as of March 31,1996 and unaudited pro forma condensed 
                       consolidated income statements for the fiscal year ended 
                       December 31, 1995 and the quarter ended March 31, 1996.
  
  
  
  
                                          3
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text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                                   July 26, 1996
                                   -------------
                                   Date of Report
  
                                   TRIBUNE COMPANY
                                   ---------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                                      Delaware
                                      --------
                   (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
            1-8572                                           36-1880355
            ------                                           ----------
  (Commission File Number)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  
  435 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois                  60611
  - --------------------------------------------                  -----
    (Address of principal executive offices)                  (Zip Code)
  
          Registrant's telephone number, including area code (312) 222-9100
  Item 7.           Financial Statements and Exhibits
                    --------------------------------- 
  (a)      Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired
  
           On July 1, 1996, Tribune Company announced that it had entered into an
           Agreement and Plan of Merger to acquire Renaissance Communications
           Corp. The following financial statements of Renaissance Communications
           Corp. required by this Item 7(a) are included herein as Exhibit 99.1
           and incorporated herein by reference:
  
               o    the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Renaissance Communications 
                    Corp. for the year ended December 31, 1995 and
               o    the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Renaissance 
                    Communications Corp. for the quarter ended March 31, 1996.
  
  (b)      Pro forma financial information
  
           The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet as of
           March 31,1996 and unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated income
           statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995 and the quarter
           ended March 31, 1996, filed as Exhibit 99.2 hereto and incorporated by
           reference herein.
  
  (c)      Exhibits
  
           23       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
  
           99.1     Financial statements of Renaissance Communications Corp. for 
                    the year ended December 31, 1995 and for the quarter ended 
                    March 31, 1996.
  
           99.2     Unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet as of
                    March 31,1996 and unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated
                    income statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995
                    and the quarter ended March 31, 1996.
  
                                          1
  SIGNATURE
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
                                      TRIBUNE COMPANY
  
                                      By /s/ R. Mark Mallory
                                         ------------------- 
                                         R. Mark Mallory
                                         Vice President and Controller
  
  July 26, 1996
  
                                          2
  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                    -------------
  
  Exhibit No.          Exhibit Description
  - -----------          -------------------
  
      23               Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
  
      99.1             Financial statements of Renaissance Communications Corp. 
                       set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Renaissance
                       Communications Corp. for the year ended December 31, 1995 
                       and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Renaissance 
                       Communications Corp. for the quarter ended March 31, 1996.
  
      99.2             Unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet 
                       as of March 31,1996 and unaudited pro forma condensed 
                       consolidated income statements for the fiscal year ended 
                       December 31, 1995 and the quarter ended March 31, 1996.
  
                                          3