The Daily News is an American tabloid newspaper founded in 1919 and known for its large headlines and photographs and short articles. The paper is headquartered in New York City. It is an important source of news and information for the public, and is one of the largest newspapers in the United States. The Daily News publishes a number of sections, including news, politics, entertainment, sports and business.
The newspaper has a long history of controversy and scandal. In the early days, the paper had a reputation for sensational and unfounded stories, and in 1931, the editorial staff was accused of accepting bribes from corrupt government officials. In the 1930s, the newspaper became a pioneer of using wirephotography and was highly innovative in its coverage of World War II, establishing itself as the nation’s leading newsmagazine. During this period, the News was also an early user of television, and in 1947, it launched its television division with the first live, televised Ed Sullivan show.
In the late 1990s, under the leadership of a series of editor-in-chiefs (first Pete Hamill, then Debby Krenek), the newspaper earned a reputation for investigative journalism and championing the rights of New York’s urban poor, especially African Americans. In 1996, it won a Pulitzer Prize for Distinguished Commentary for E.R. Shipp’s pieces on racial injustice, and in 1998, the News won a second Pulitzer for its coverage of police brutality against Haitian immigrant Abner Louima. The newspaper is credited with launching a national conversation about the plight of the urban poor.
In 1991, controversial British media mogul Robert Maxwell purchased the Daily News from the Tribune Company. Despite being outbid by Atlantic owner Mort Zuckerman, Maxwell was able to acquire the paper after successfully negotiating contracts with nine of the newspaper’s ten unions. The Daily News was the largest circulation newspaper in the United States until it began to lose market share in the 1990s, when it fell behind USA Today and the competing New York Times. The paper’s advertising revenue suffered in the recession, and by 2000, it was losing money every year. In an attempt to save the newspaper, in 1993, Zuckerman invested $60 million towards color presses, enabling it to compete with the visual quality of USA Today and to be considered a serious “serious tabloid.” In 2017, it was announced that the Daily News would be sold to Tronc, a Chicago-based media company. The newspaper continues to publish with a focus on the New York metropolitan area and on local issues. In addition, it produces a variety of special issues and supplements throughout the year, including the Yale Daily News Magazine and the annual Commencement Issue. It is the oldest college daily newspaper in the United States. The newspaper is financially and editorially independent from Yale. It is distributed Monday through Friday during the academic year at the campus and in the surrounding community. It also distributes a Friday supplement and a monthly magazine.