Emap started life as a local newspaper company in 1947. Today Emap is a global media group, playing a crucial role in giving the retail, media, finance, fashion, health, education, government and automotive sectors the essential news, analysis and access they need to succeed.

Below is a timeline showing the turning points in Emap's history.

00's | 90's | 80's | 70's | 50's | 40's

2008

• Emap Communications changes its name to Emap Ltd
• David Gilbertson appointed as CEO of Emap Communications
• Derek Carter resigns as CEO of Emap Communications
• Eden Bidco Ltd, a joint venture between Apax and Guardian Media Group plc, acquired Emap plc
• Emap sells its Consumer Media business (including its shares in Frontline Limited) to Heinrich Bauer Verlag KG for £714.3 million.
• Emap sells its Radio business to Heinrich Bauer Verlag KG for £422 million.

2007

• Tom Moloney resigns as Group Chief Executive. Alun Cathcart , non-executive Chairman, steps in as interim Executive Chairman
• Emap acquires GroundSure Limited from Metropolitan Venture Partners LP and a number of other individual sellers, for an initial cash consideration of £30m
• Emap acquires Yospace, a mobile user-generated content business, for an initial consideration of £8.6m

2006

• Derek Carter appointed to Emap plc Board in September
• Emap suspends publication of FHM US
• Emap acquires Trades Exhibitions Limited (TEL), the UK’s leading exhibition organiser in the professional beauty sector, for a cash consideration of £19 million
• Bliss magazine and website sold to Panini UK
• Emap sells Emap France for £380 and returns £285m in cash to shareholders
• Alun Cathcart appointed Chairman, taking over from Adam Broadbent
• Karen Jones steps down after nine years as a Non-Executive Director
• Emap acquires AMEinfo.com, an online business news service in the Middle East, for $29m
• Emap closes Smash Hits Magazine, after a 28 year run

2005

• Period Living and Traditional Homes magazine sold to Centaur Holdings
• Mixmag sold to Development Hell
• Alun Cathcart and Rita Clifton appointed Non-Executive Directors
• Emap acquires the web based subscription fashion information business (WGSN) for £140m
• Emap acquires SRH Plc, increasing its radio portfolio, for £391 million - at the same time selling SRH’s newspaper portfolio to Johnston Press for £155 million
• Emap acquires DeHavilland, the market leading public affairs information service
• Emap Construct “redefines the recruitment sector for quantity surveyors” with the launch of QS Week in April
• Professional Nurse magazine closes
• Plastics & Design Moulding Exhibition (PDM) opens its doors
• Paul Keenan appointed to Emap plc Board in March
• Emap launches Grazia, Britain’s first weekly glossy, in February
• Competition Commission announce that Emap should sell ABI

2004

• Emap Acquires National Homebuilder Design Awards
• H&V05 event launches
• Emap acquires Cannes Lions, the International Advertising Festival
• Kerrang! 105.2 launched as an FM radio station in the West Midlands on 10 June
• Emap kicked off the highly anticipated consolidation of the radio sector by acquiring SMG’s 28% stake in Scottish Radio Holdings for £92m
• Emap acquires ABI, the construction information business
• Emap launches the world's first weekly mag for men who like girls, football and funny stuff - ZOO Weekly
• Four consumer magazines close - The Face, J17, Internet Magazine and Here's Health

2003

• Emap has successfully raised £250 million in the City by issuing its first ever corporate bond
• Emap Advertising won 'Print Sales Team of the Year', for the second year in a row
• Smash Hits! Celebrated its 25th birthday and was named ‘Media Brand of the Year’
• Emap Communications acquired Agor SAS, the market leading exhibition business serving the domestic retail sector in France. Agor's two key shows are Distrirama and Stockorama
• Emap Performance launched The hits, Q, Magic, Mojo and Heat as digital radio stations on Freeview
• Emap wins West Midlands licence for Kerrang! Radio
• Emap France announced the acquisition of Excelsior Publications SA for £62m. Excelsior own a portfolio of magazines in the science and knowledge, women's fashion and men's lifestyle markets in France
• Relaunched consumer magazines include: Angling Times, Match, Digital Photo and Bliss
• Emap Active acquired The British Equine Event
• Tom Moloney became Chief Executive in January, replacing Robin Miller

2002

• Emap wins ‘Most Dynamic Media Company’ in the Campaign Media Awards
• Celebrity mag heat reached 500,000 weekly sales mark
• New consumer magazine ‘Closer’ is launched
• Hachette partnership dissolved, Emap loses their share of Red, Elle Deco and Elle
• Seventh music TV channel, The Hits, launched on Freeview
• Kiss, Kerrang! and Smash! Hits launch as digital radio stations on Freeview

2001

• Emap sold American operations – apart from FHM – to Primedia for £366m
• Emap France acquired the remaining 50% stake in Media Nature from partner Bayard Presse
• Kerrang! TV launched
• Magic TV launched
• Smash! Hits TV launched
• Kiss TV launched

2000

• FHM launched in the USA and Emap acquired Australian edition of New Woman
• Emap’s German b2b operations sold and more FHM editions launched oversees
• Q television launched

1999

• Emap led from the front and formed an innovative new cross-media advertising arm - Emap Advertising
• Style titles The Face and Arena are bought from Wagadon

1998

• Emap expanded across the Atlantic with the £1 billion acquisition of Petersen Publishing in the US
• London radio station Melody FM acquired and renamed Magic 105.4

1997

• Emap created a new market for ‘middle youth’ women with the launch of Red and bought Macmillan’s healthcare company
• FHM launched in Singapore and Emap acquired Mason Stewart & Bounty Services in Australia

1996

• Dgital music TV channel The Box acquired as the route into the small screen business
• Emap sold off its newspaper & print division to Johnston Press for £200m

1995

• b2b operations expand with the acquisition of Maclean Hunter

1994

• Emap bought a small title called For Him Magazine, converted it into FHM & turned the men’s market upside down
• Overnight Emap grabbed 10 percent of the French market with the acquisition of Edition Mondiale and Hersant

1992

• Emap increased its b2b involvement with the acquisition of more products including Heating & Ventilating News

1991

• Emap upped the broadcast ante with the acquisition of Radio City followed a few years later by TWC and the Metro Group

1990

• Emap got into radio with the acquisition of London dance station KISS FM
• Emap got into the French market in a joint venture deal with Bayard Presse

1988

• Emap took more control of magazine distribution by forming a partnership to create Frontline

1984

• Emap formed an exhibition arm & business division with the acquisition of recycling & plastics information products

1978

• Smash! Hits launched – Emap’s first big consumer title
  
• More consumer magazines launched and Consumer Magazines division created

1956

• Motor Cycle News acquired for £100 – now one of Emap’s biggest titles

1953

• Angling Times launched – Emap’s first consumer title

1947

• Emap formed as regional newspaper group