The Daily News is a venerable tabloid newspaper that has been on the front lines of the American news scene since its inception in 1919. For a few decades it was one of the most successful newspapers in the United States. Its readers were attracted to its sensational crime coverage, cartoons, and lurid photographs. But, despite its success, the paper has found itself in financial trouble for years. As of 2016, the Daily News circulation was a little over 200,000 copies.
Andrew Conte has written a beautiful, compelling book about how the Daily News came to be. Through his incisive and insightful prose, he shows the impact of the loss of a local newspaper on a town. And, he argues, how local journalism can be revitalized.
In the late 1970s, the Daily News began shifting from being a conservative, populist, and Republican newspaper to a more liberal and Democratic newspaper. This shift is the subject of Death of the Daily News. Using a variety of sources, including The New York Times, Ballotpedia, and his own musings, Conte demonstrates how the newspaper changed over the decades.
The Daily News was once the nation’s most widely read newspaper. By the mid-1970s, its circulation had dwindled to just a few hundred thousand. However, it continued to offer strong coverage of local and national news. Then, in early 1990, the newspaper’s ownership switched from The New York News, Inc. to The Tribune Publishing Company. The company owned several other newspapers, including The Morning Call and The Orlando Sentinel.
During its heyday, the Daily News boasted a circulation of more than one million. Yet, in the face of a massive economic downturn, the newspaper had to slash its staff in half and cut back on advertising. To survive, it turned to innovative solutions like an interactive version of its print edition that features digital tools such as email, downloadable versions of the newspaper, and a mobile app.
In addition to the interactive version of the newspaper, the company also publishes a magazine. These publications are often aimed at the time-challenged reader. Many of the articles and columns feature opinion formers and award-winning writers.
The Daily News was also the first newspaper to utilize the Associated Press wirephoto service. Its business manager, Victor F. Lawson, later became secretary of the navy under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Today, the Daily News is owned by Chicago-based media conglomerate, Tronc. A subsidiary of the company, WPIX, broadcasts on FM simulcast to AM radio. Eventually, the radio station was purchased by Emmis Communications. Another subsidiary, the WFAN-FM, is now owned by CBS Radio.
While the Daily News may have lost its place as America’s most popular newspaper, the paper has gained an admirable reputation for highlighting the important issues of the day. The Daily News has won multiple Pulitzer Prizes for commentary and feature writing, and it has made significant international news.
With its combination of news, sports, celebrity gossip, and comics, the Daily News is one of the most widely read newspapers in the world. If you’re looking for a readable, easily digestible newspaper, the Daily News is a great choice.