Founded in 1919, Daily News is New York City’s first tabloid newspaper and one of the nation’s best-known papers. It is renowned for bold journalism, its commitment to the city of New York, strong visual content and engaging storytelling. It delivers breaking news, in-depth investigations, politics, sports, entertainment and culture, trendy stories and community news. Its storied history includes the creation of tabloid journalism in the United States and is known for its long-standing commitment to investigative journalism.
At its peak in 1947, the Daily News had a circulation of more than 2.4 million copies per day and was among the top newspapers in the United States. The paper was an early user of the Associated Press wirephoto service in the 1930s and employed a large staff of photographers. It also developed a popular radio program called The Ed Sullivan Show and owned what would become New York’s fifth television station, WPIX, which still operates out of the old Daily News Building.
In the 1980s, however, the Daily News was struggling to survive. It had yielded to union demands over rules, job numbers and overtime and was losing $1 million a month. By 1982, it was considering closing down altogether. However, it was decided that if the newspaper did close, it would cost too much to pay out pensions and severance packages to its employees.
Eventually, the Daily News found its groove once again in the 1990s and was once again profitable. It shifted its tone and style, giving Republican senator Ted Cruz the middle finger via the Statue of Liberty’s hand and using the headline “TRUMP TO THE WORLD: DROP DEAD.” During the Clinton presidency, the Daily News was praised for its coverage of Monica Lewinsky, and its editorial board won praise for its tough stance on Bill Clinton.
In 2017, the Daily News continued to decline, and its former owners, Tribune Publishing Company, sold it to Tronc for a dollar. In 2019, the Daily News announced it was cutting staff and converting the paper to digital only. The Daily News ceased print publication in 2020 and focuses solely on its website, which features breaking news and exclusives.
Daily News is the oldest college daily newspaper in the country, the News publishes Monday through Friday during the academic year and serves Yale, New Haven and the surrounding area. It is financially and editorially independent from Yale, and its writers have won many national awards. The News also produces several special issues each year, including the game day issue and the Commencement issue. The Yale Daily News has also launched several initiatives in support of the university’s Native American, Black, Latino and Asian-American communities.