UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): December 23, 2016

tronc, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

435 North Michigan Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60611

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

312-222-9100

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

¨     Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨     Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-49(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On December 23, 2016, tronc, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into Amendment No. 1 (the “Amendment”) to the Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”), dated as of May 9, 2016, by and between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent.

The Amendment accelerates the expiration of the Company’s preferred share purchase rights (the “Rights”) from 5:00 p.m., New York time, on May 8, 2017 to noon, New York time, on December 23, 2016, and has the effect of terminating the Rights Agreement on that date. At the time of the termination of the Rights Agreement, all of the Rights distributed to holders of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the Rights Agreement will expire.

The foregoing is a summary of the terms of the Amendment. The summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amendment, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 4.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 1.02 Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.

The information set forth under Item 1.01 is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 3.03 Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The information set forth under Item 1.01 is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

In connection with the adoption of the Rights Agreement, on May 9, 2016, the Company filed a Certificate of Designation of Series A Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware setting forth the rights, powers and preferences of the Series A Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights (the “Preferred Shares”). Promptly following the expiration of the Rights and the termination of the Rights Agreement, the Company will file a Certificate of Elimination (the “Certificate of Elimination”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware eliminating the Preferred Shares and returning them to authorized but undesignated shares of the Company’s preferred stock.

The foregoing is a summary of the terms of the Certificate of Elimination. The summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Certificate of Elimination, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 3.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

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SIGNATURES

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 hereunto duly authorized.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

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