The daily news is the main source of information for most people. It tells us about current events and what has happened in the past. It can also entertain us by telling stories that are amusing or making us laugh. However, it is important to remember that the purpose of news is to keep us informed and not just amused.
Founded in 1919, the New York Daily News was the first U.S. newspaper published in tabloid format and once possessed the largest circulation of any daily in the world. Today, it is owned by Tronc and is headquartered in the historic art deco Daily News Building on Fourth Avenue in Manhattan.
During its heyday, the Daily News boasted a brassy pictorial style and scooped major stories, often beating other newspapers to print them. It was an early user of the Associated Press wirephoto service and employed a large staff of photographers. The Daily News was a strong supporter of the Second World War effort, and in 1947 its distribution reached its peak at 2.4 million copies daily.
In March 1991, controversial British media mogul Robert Maxwell purchased the paper and put it in his portfolio of Daily Mirror-style publications. In an attempt to save the Daily News, he successfully negotiated contracts with the newspaper’s unions and revived its earnings potential. However, just five years later the Daily News was on the verge of bankruptcy.
A new owner, Mort Zuckerman, took control of the Daily News in 1993, and set out to make changes. In an attempt to reposition the paper as a serious tabloid, he invested $60 million in color presses that enabled the Daily News to compete with USA Today for daily readership. He also revamped the editorial page, which reverted to a conservative lean and hired new writers with a more diverse range of backgrounds.
In addition to its hard news coverage, the Daily News is known for its celebrity gossip and entertainment coverage. It has also been credited for pioneering tabloid sports coverage, particularly for its coverage of New York City’s basketball team the Knicks and baseball team the Mets.
Like all other newspapers, the Daily News has a tendency to be partisan and bias in its political coverage. It is considered to have a moderate to liberal lean and frequently contrasts with its arch-rival, the New York Post.
The Yale Daily News Historical Archive contains digitized versions of the Daily News from its inception through 1996. This archive is open to the public and includes more than 140 years of YDN reporting. For more information on how to access YDN articles and for permission to reproduce content, please see the YDN Rights and Permissions site. This project was made possible through the generosity of an anonymous Yale alumnus. This gift allows YDN to continue its work in preserving and enhancing this digital collection. We are grateful to him for his support.