In its heyday in the 1940s, the Daily News had a circulation of over 2.4 million copies per day and was the highest-circulated newspaper in the world. The newspaper specialized in tabloid journalism, and was known for its brassy, pictorial style. It was also an early user of the Associated Press wirephoto service and maintained a large staff of photographers. The paper was especially noted for its coverage of the Second World War, and Time magazine called it “New York’s picture newspaper.”
The Daily News began in 1919 when Joseph Medill Patterson, publisher of Chicago Tribune, decided to launch a similar newspaper in New York City. He recruited journalist and columnist William Randolph Hearst to be the editor, bringing over his editorial staff from the Chicago newspaper.
Hearst’s vision for the paper was for a more sensational, and often lurid, version of newspaper reporting. He emphasized crime, politics and celebrity news stories, and was not afraid to be controversial. The paper was a major force in the city’s political life, and many of its policies influenced local politics.
In 1947, the Daily News reached its peak circulation at 2.4 million daily copies. At the time it was the world’s largest newspaper, and its iconic art deco building on 42nd Street and 2nd Avenue, designed by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood, was an architectural landmark. The News also established a television station, WPIX, in 1948, which still occupies its original location in the News Building.
Despite its success, the Daily News had been struggling financially. In 1975, the front page headline declared: “FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD.” The story was about President Gerald Ford’s veto of a bankruptcy bailout for New York City. The newspaper blamed the veto for losing him the 1976 presidential election to Jimmy Carter.
By the 1990s, the newspaper’s fortunes had turned around somewhat. In 1991, the Daily News’s owner, controversial British media mogul Robert Maxwell, bought the paper from the Tribune Company. Maxwell was able to renegotiate contracts with the paper’s unions, which had been holding up production during a 147-day strike. However, the resurgence was short-lived.
In 2017, the Daily News’s circulation had halved, and the paper was sold to Tronc, a Chicago-based media company, for one dollar. In the years since, the paper has reduced its staff significantly and has struggled to remain relevant in a world where Facebook and Twitter are increasingly replacing traditional newspapers for news and information. The newspaper has also faced significant challenges from the decline of print advertising and the growth of online news sites. Its website and app have been described as “clunky” and “underdeveloped.” In addition to the Daily News, Tronc owns a number of other regional and national publications. The company is also the parent of the satirical web publication The Onion.