Yesterday we looked at all the things that did not happen last year. In a lot of ways, 2007 was almost a transition year, a preparation for 2008. A number of events that transpired or continued into the year remain unresolved and will be front and center as time moves ahead. But that’s not to say nothing happened — in fact, quite a few notable events went into the history books. Here are 17 of the most significant:
* Sam Zell took Tribune Company private, closing just under the wire, and quickly brought radio icon Randy Michaels into the fold.
* The Bancroft family ended 100 years of control at Dow Jones & Company, selling the company and its flagship Wall Street Journal to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation for $5.6 billion.
* The New York Times Company got out of the television business, selling its nine stations to Oak Hill Capital Partners and its Local TV LLC for $575 million.
* Arbitron launched PPM as ratings currency in Philadelphia, its 2nd market.
* Imus was ousted, and returned.
* Joel Hollander was ousted; Dan Mason returned.
* WCBS-FM came back.
* New CRB Royalty rates kicked in and closed some internet broadcasters down.
* HD Radio made it into a major US automaker’s dash: Ford Motor Co.
* Broadcasters revolted against Arbitron’s PPM technology.
* AM HD Radio at night was approved by the FCC, as well as the final HD Radio rules.
* Nielsen’s commercial minute ratings became a currency.
* 350K top-drawer indecency fine became an official, thus-far-unused fact of life.
* FCC Republicans approved easing of cross-ownership restrictions in the top-20 DMAs and waivers for existing pairings after direct requests from senators to hold off.
* FCC initiated proceedings on increasing minority/female/small business ownership and on tying localism to license renewals.
* The life of analog broadcast television ticked down to its last 13 and a half months.
* Joan Collins sang and Sam Moore tesitified in the House; and Alice Peacock sang and Lyle Lovett testified in the Senate, in favor of broadcast performance royalties.
