Short answers, pulled from the story.
The first issue of Billboard appeared on the 1st of November 1894. William Donaldson and James Hennegan published this eight-page weekly paper as a trade publication for bill posters.
The magazine was originally known as Billboard Advertising when it focused on the advertising industry where billboards were the primary means of public promotion. It changed its name to simply The Billboard in 1897 after gaining traction among outdoor entertainers.
William Donaldson and James Hennegan published the first issue of Billboard in 1894. Donaldson handled editorial duties while Hennegan managed production through his Hennegan Printing Co.
Billboard published its first music hit parade on the 4th of January 1936 introducing data-driven rankings. This event marked a shift toward tracking motion-picture industry news and later focusing heavily on music due to competition from Variety.
Dutch media conglomerate Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen purchased Billboard Publications in 1994 for $220 million. VNU subsequently acquired Editor & Publisher in 1999 while paying $650 million to Miller Freeman in July 2000.