A daily tabloid newspaper, founded in 1919 as the Illustrated Daily News (not to be confused with the earlier New York Daily News, which closed in 1906). The New York Daily News became one of the first successful tabloids in the United States and gained a large audience by attracting readers with sensational coverage of crime, scandal, and violence. It also offered readers lurid photographs and cartoons and held reader contests. The paper’s name changed to the New York Daily News in 1927.
The paper grew in popularity, and by the 1930s was the largest newspaper in the country. The News developed a strong reputation as an advocate for the First Amendment and fought to protect the rights of those that the paper perceived were under attack. The News also earned a reputation as a champion for urban issues, winning Pulitzer Prizes in 1996 and 1998 for pieces on poverty and welfare, and in 1999 for Mike McAlary’s coverage of police brutality against Haitian immigrant Abner Louima.
During the 1970s, the paper’s editorial policy began to shift towards a more liberal position, although it retained its signature hard-edged reporting. In 1975, the New York Daily News rolled out what would become its most famous headline: “FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD!” The story followed President Ford’s veto of a bankruptcy bail-out for New York City, and it was believed that the headline may have contributed to his defeat in the 1976 presidential election against Jimmy Carter.
By the 1980s, the New York Daily News was losing a million dollars per month. Its parent company, the Tribune Company, had given in to union demands regarding rules and job numbers, and the newspaper was struggling to compete with its rivals. The Daily News was able to survive through the early 1990s, but circulation continued to decline.
The News’s new owner, Mortimer Zuckerman, made a series of big changes in an attempt to rediscover the News’s earning potential. He bought the rights to color presses and invested $60 million to upgrade the quality of the Daily News, bringing it closer in visual quality to USA Today, which was the nation’s top-circulation newspaper at the time.
In 1993, the Daily News introduced a new format for the paper, which was repositioned as a serious tabloid. This new edition featured more political analysis, less sensational coverage, and a smaller size. By the mid-1990s, the Daily News was back to profitability and was again one of the most widely read newspapers in the country.
The Daily News is available in several digital formats, including an interactive E-dition replica of the print newspaper that can be viewed on your computer or mobile devices. The E-dition is easy to navigate and offers a variety of tools that enhance your reading experience.