Tribune Content Agency


Tribune Content Agency is a syndication company owned by Tribune Publishing. TCA had previously been known as the Chicago Tribune Syndicate, the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate, Tribune Company Syndicate, and Tribune Media Services. TCA is headquartered in Chicago, and had offices in various American cities, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong.

History

Chicago Tribune Syndicate (1918–2000)

's early comic strip The Gumps had a key role in the rise of syndication when Robert R. McCormick and Joseph Medill Patterson, who had both been publishing the Chicago Tribune since 1914, planned to launch a tabloid in New York, as comics historian Coulton Waugh explained:
Patterson founded the Chicago Tribune Syndicate in 1918, managed by Arthur Crawford.
In 1933, Patterson, launched the Chicago Tribune-Daily News Syndicate, Inc..
An April 1933 article in Fortune described the "Big Four" American syndicates as United Feature Syndicate, King Features Syndicate, the Chicago Tribune Syndicate, and the Bell-McClure Syndicate. Mollie Slott kept the syndicate running in its mid-century glory days.
In 1968, the syndicate offered about 150 features to approximately 1400 client newspapers.

Tribune Media Services (2000–2013)

acquired the Times Mirror Company in 2000, with the Los Angeles Times Syndicate being merged into Tribune Media Services.
In 2006 The McClatchy Company inherited a partnership with the Tribune Company, in the news service Knight Ridder-Tribune Information Services, when it acquired Knight Ridder; the new service was called the McClatchy-Tribune News Service. In 2014, Tribune bought out McClatchy's share of the company, taking full ownership of MCT and moving its headquarters to Chicago.

Tribune Content Agency (2013-present)

On June 25, 2013, the newspaper syndication News & Features division of Tribune Media Services became the Tribune Content Agency.
On June 12, 2014, Tribune Media Services was merged into Gracenote. After the 2014 split of Tribune Company assets between Tribune Media and Tribune Publishing, Gracenote went to Tribune Media while Tribune Content Agency content remained with Tribune Publishing.
On September 22, 2014, the McClatchy-Tribune News Service was renamed the Tribune News Service.

Products and services

TCA distributes media products, such as news, columns, comic strips, Jumble and crosswords, printed insert books, video, and other information services to publications across the United States, Canada, and other countries in English and Spanish for both print and web syndication.
Tribune Premium Content is a subscription service for newspapers and other media channels. The content provided includes comics, puzzles, games, editorial cartoons, as well as feature content packages. Tribune Premium Content also syndicates content from other sources, such as The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Kiplinger, Harvard Health and Mayo Clinic.
TCA's news service, Tribune News Service, offers breaking news, lifestyle and entertainment stories, sports and business articles, commentary, photos, graphics and illustrations.
Tribune SmartContent is an information service filtered to provide targeted content. Full-text news feeds deliver articles from 600 sources from around the world.
TCA also offered products and services for niche markets via TCA Specialty Products.
TCA has, worldwide, 600-plus contributors and serves more than 1,200 clients, services and resellers.

Management

  • Wayne Lown, General Manager
  • Rick DeChantal, Sales Director
  • Pia Ingberg, Director, European Operations
  • Mustafa Sharaan, Director of International Business Development
  • Jack Barry, VP/Operations
  • Zach Finken, Associate Editor
  • Matt Maldre, Marketing Manager

Comic strips

Strips as of 2025

9 to 5Alvin by Alvin WellingtonAnimal CrackersBarney & ClydeBliss by Harry BlissBottom LinersBound and GaggedBrewster Rockit: Space Guy!Broom-HildaDick TracyGasoline AlleyGil ThorpLove Is...The MiddletonsReply All

Discontinued strips

The Adventures of Smilin' Jack by Zack Mosley Aggie Mack / Aggie by Hal Rasmusson and Roy L. Fox Beyond Mars by Jack Williamson & Lee Elias Bobby Make-Believe by Frank King Brenda Starr, Reporter originally by Dale Messick Ching Chow originally by Sidney Smith and Stanley Link Closer Than We Think by Arthur Radebaugh — Sunday panelCompu-toon by Charles Boyce Conrad by Bill Schorr Deathless Deer by Alicia Patterson and Neysa McMein Dondi by Gus Edson and Irwin Hasen Friday Foster by Jim Lawrence and later Jorge Longarón The Gumps by Sidney Smith Harold Teen by Carl Ed Helen, Sweetheart of the Internet by Peter Zale Housebroken In the Bleachers by Steve Moore Kennesaw by Reamer Keller Li'l Abner by Al Capp — moved over from United Feature SyndicateLittle Joe originally by Ed Leffingwell Little Lulu by Woody Kimbrell, Roger Armstrong, and Ed Nofziger Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray and others Lola by Todd Clark Lolly by Pete Hansen Loose Parts, originally by Dave Blazek and John Gilpin — acquired from the Los Angeles Times SyndicateLouie by Harry Hanan Mary Perkins, On Stage by Leonard Starr Moon Mullins by Frank Willard & Ferd Johnson Mother Goose and Grimm by Mike Peters Motley's Crew by Ben Templeton and Tom Forman Mount Pleasant by Rick McKee and Kent Sligh My Son John by Bill Hoest The Neighbors by George Clark Old Doc Yak by Sidney Smith — second iteration as a weekly topper strip for The GumpsThe Pink Panther by Eric and Bill Teitelbaum Raising Hector by Peter Ramirez Rick O'Shay by Stan Lynde Shoe by Jeff MacNelly and then others Smitty by Walter Berndt Smokey Stover by Bill Holman Spy vs. Spy by Duck Edwing and Dave Manak Sylvia Tales of the Green Beret by Robin Moore & Joe Kubert The Teenie Weenies by William Donahey Terry and the Pirates by Milton Caniff and George Wunder Texas Slim by Ferd Johnson Tiny Tim by Stanley Link Whiteboy by Garrett Price Winnie Winkle by Martin Branner, Max Van Bibber, and Frank Bolle The World's Greatest Superheroes by numerous creators

Editorial cartoons

Columns and articles

Advice

God Squad, The by Marc GellmanHarvard Health LettersInterpersonal Edge by Daneen SkubeMayo Clinic Q & AMedicine Cabinet, The: Ask the Harvard ExpertsMy Answer from the writings of the Rev. Billy GrahamMy Pet World by Cathy M. RosenthalReal Estate Matters by Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Business & Personal Finance

Careers Now by Vicki SalemiInterpersonal Edge by Daneen SkubeJill on Money by Jill SchlesingerKids & Money by Steve RosenKiplinger Consumer News ServiceKiplinger's Money PowerMarkets & Mutual FundsMoney Market PackageSavings Game, The by Elliot RaphaelsonSuccess featuring Kiplinger, Inc. Magazine and Fast Company
  • Terry Savage

Entertainment

Card games

Daily Bridge Club by Frank StewartGoren Bridge by Bob JonesPoker by Tony Dunst and Bryan Devonshire

Humor

Dave Barry Year in Review by Dave BarryHumor Hotel by Greg SchwemToday’s Chuckle by Harlan Collins

Pop culture

Bang ShowbizCover MediaFilm Clips by The Chicago TribuneRolling StoneNielsen SoundScanVariety Entertainment News ServiceVideo Games by GamerHub.TV

Sports

Latest Line by J. McCarthy

Food

Entrée Feature Package featuring Environmental Nutrition, Eating Well, The Kitchn and Seriously Simple

Health

Environmental NutritionHarvard Health LettersHow to Keep Well by Irving S. Cutter Mayo Clinic Q & AMedicine Cabinet, The: Ask the Harvard ExpertsPremium Health News Service by Various Contributors

Home

Ask the Builder by Tim CarterDo It Yourself…Or Not? by Gene and Katie HamiltonLiving Space by Better [Homes and Gardens (magazine)|Better Homes & Gardens], Real Simple, Parents magazine, Midwest Living, and Southern LivingReal Estate Matters by Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Lifestyle

Drive, TheFresh Toast, TheMy Pet World by Cathy M. RosenthalTuesdays with Mitch by Mitch AlbomYour Daily Astrology by Magi Helena

Magazines

Atlantic, TheCut, TheDefense OneFast CompanyForeign AffairsHarvard Health LettersInc. MagazineMIT Sloan Management Review & ReportMIT Technology ReviewNew ScientistNew York MagazinePsychology TodayQuartzRolling StoneVariety Entertainment News Service
  • ''Vulture''

Opinion

Travel

Celebrity Travel by Jae-Ha KimRick Steves’ Europe by Rick StevesTaking the Kids by Eileen Ogintz

World News

Atlantic, TheDefense OneDeutsche Welle

Discontinued columns and columnists

  • Nancy Dorris: cooking
  • W. A. Evans, M.D.: health column Little Old New York, by Ed Sullivan
  • Danton Walker, column on Broadway theatre
  • Clare Boothe Luce: national political convention coverage) Beauty Answers by Antoinette Donnelly
  • Doris Blake: Love Problems, Heart Chats, and Heart to Heart Talks Mainly About Manhattan by John Chapman Parent-Child by Gladys Bevans Rush & Malloy by George Rush and Joanna Molloy Inside the Video Games
  • Samantha Power
  • Paul A. Samuelson Test Drive by Jim Mateja
  • Joe Galloway
  • Eric Heiden
  • Kathy Kristof Swift Justice by Nancy Grace
  • Michael Showalter Naturally Savvy
  • Jen Lancaster Social Studies by Julia Allison
  • Garrison Keillor
  • Robyn Blumner
  • Alexander Heffner
  • Ta-Nehisi Coates Retire Smart
  • Joel Brinkley Travel Troubleshooter by Christopher Elliott
  • Andy Rooney Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk
  • William Pfaff a Google a Day Jean Knows Cars by Jean Jennings
  • Steve Dale
  • Kristyn Schiavone So Social by Scott Kleinberg Apps of the Week
  • Diane Farr Your Other 8 Hours by Robert Pagliarini Virtual Tourist Cultivating Life
  • Ian Bremmer
  • Frank Rich Global Events in Context by David Keys
  • Liz Smith
  • Mario Batali Kids Doctor by Sue Hubbard, M.D.
  • Anya Kamenetz One for the Table
  • Paul Greenberg The Smart Collector by Danielle Arnet Global Economic Viewpoint by Nathan Gardels
  • Henry Kissinger
  • Paul Kennedy Simple Style by Aramide Esubi Wolfgang Puck's Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck
  • Carl Hiassen Scopin the Soaps by Toby Goldstein
  • John Kass
  • Mary Schmich
  • Rex Huppke
  • Politics Today by Jules Witcover
  • Leonard Pitts Jr.
  • Daily Racing Form’s Consensus Ask Amy by Amy Dickinson
  • Ana Veciana-Suarez
  • Ed Perkins on Travel

Games and puzzles

Crosswords

Daily Commuter Puzzle, The by Stella ZawistowskiJumble Crosswords by David L. HoytLos Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle edited by Patti VarolQuote-AcrosticTV Crossword, The by Ricky Cruz

Jumble games

Jumble by David L. Hoyt and Jeff KnurekJumble Crosswords by David L. HoytJumble for Kids by David L. Hoyt and Jeff KnurekTV Jumble by David L. Hoyt

Logic puzzles

Futoshiki / More or LessHitoriJunior Mind GymKakuro by Michael MephamKiller SudokuKiller Sudoku ProKubokMind GymSamurai SudokuSudoku Daily by Michael Mepham

Visual puzzles

  • ''Spot the Difference''

Word puzzles

ArrowWordsBoggle BrainBusters by David L. Hoyt and Jeff KnurekCode-CrackerSCRABBLEgramsWord Salsa by Tony Tallarico
  • ''Word Wheel''

Premium editions

Brainbusters: The Ultimate Puzzle BookEnvelope’s Oscar Preview, TheFamily Health Guide from Harvard Health PublicationsGuide to Entertaining: Be the Best Holiday Host This YearGuide to Fitness from Harvard Health PublicationsGuide to Investment from MorningstarGuide to Retirement from MorningstarGuide to Summer EntertainingInternational Travel GuideLife Skills: How to do almost anythingMayo Clinic Guide to Healthy EatingPet Power
  • ''Travel Guide U.S.A.''