Originally published in 1919 as the Illustrated Daily News, The New York Daily News became one of America’s first successful tabloid newspapers. The paper attracted readers with sensational coverage of crime and scandal, lurid photographs, and cartoons and entertainment features. The newspaper was founded on the principles of circulation-driven journalism and was the first major daily to make extensive use of the Associated Press wirephoto service. In addition to political wrongdoing, the newspaper emphasized social intrigue such as the romance between Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII that led to the latter’s abdication.
The newspaper shifted to an all-news format in 1929 and focused on local events. It also expanded its national coverage, largely in conjunction with The New York Times. The newspaper was a leader in urban reporting and became the first to include a weekly city section. The newspaper also pioneered in investigative reporting and won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 1993, along with ProPublica, for its exposé of police abuse of eviction rules. In recent years the newspaper has suffered from declining revenue. In 2017 it was sold to Tribune Publishing, then known as Tronc, for $1. The new owner has slashed staffing and restructured the paper. The paper is now edited by Andrew Julien, a former executive editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
In 2018, the newspaper published an article that was so controversial that it prompted Yale’s Board of Trustees to revoke its charter. The story, titled “An Academically Dangerous and Morally Impertinent Piece,” was written by two Yale students and published in the Student Editorial Section. The piece was critical of a Yale professor and described how the professor’s views were inconsistent with the school’s mission and policies. It also accused the professor of promoting anti-Semitism and misogyny.
Yale Daily News is the oldest daily newspaper in the United States and the longest-running student newspaper. The newspaper is published each weekday when the University is in session and provides a variety of news, opinions, and entertainment features. Many of the newspaper’s writers, editors, and contributors have gone on to distinguished careers in journalism and other fields.
Amid massive disruption in American journalism, dozens of newspapers have closed and hundreds more are expected to go under, leaving vast areas with no traditional news sources. In Death of the Daily News, writer Andrew Conte takes us to McKeesport, a small town in southwestern Pennsylvania, to document the effects of losing the local newspaper. The book’s compelling story is a reminder of the importance of local journalism in a democracy. It is a deeply disturbing read, but it also leaves the reader with hope that local newspapers can be saved. This is a must-read for anyone interested in journalism or the future of local media in America.