The New York Daily News is a major American newspaper founded in 1919 as the first tabloid in the United States. It is a prestigious, well-established paper that was once the nation’s most popular newspaper but has suffered a decline in circulation since the 1980s due to declining readership and the rise of internet news sources. Despite the decrease in circulation, it has managed to survive by making several big changes to improve its quality and credibility. This has included a move to color printing and the launch of several successful inserts such as Caribbean Monthly and BET Weekend.
The paper was started by Joseph Medill Patterson, who had previously been the publisher of the Chicago Tribune. His success in the Windy City can be credited to his sensational pictorial coverage and his willingness to go one step further than his competitors in order to catch attention. This is illustrated no better than when he strapped a camera to his leg and captured an image of Ruth Snyder mid-electrocution, which sparked outrage in the public and drew huge crowds for the next day’s front page.
During the 1940s, the Daily News was at its most profitable, and it dominated the tabloid market. The paper was praised for its extensive coverage of the Second World War, and its edgy writing style helped it to attract many famous columnists such as Ed Sullivan. This was also a time when the News began to use wirephotographs extensively, and it was the first paper to employ a photo editor in order to ensure high-quality photos.
By the 1970s, the Daily News was struggling to compete with USA Today, and its owner, Morton Zuckerman, made some major changes in an attempt to revive it. He hired a new editor, John Martin, who brought in new reporters and introduced an emphasis on local stories and hard news. He also invested $60 million in new colored presses, bringing the News up to par with its competitor in terms of visual quality. He also relaunched the newspaper’s Saturday edition as a national edition called The Daily News-Sunday Edition and launched a number of popular syndicated TV shows.
In 1979, the Daily News was in bankruptcy proceedings and unable to pay its employees. A sale of the newspaper was discussed, but it was determined to be too expensive because of severance pay and pensions that would need to be paid. Closing the paper was also considered but was dismissed because it was not financially viable.
The New York Daily News has a liberal bias, and it is not reliable for national or international news. However, it is a good source for information about New York and its sports teams. Readers should also check other newspapers to get a broader perspective on issues. For example, the New York Times is a more reliable choice for national and international news. Readers can also find reliable news from a variety of independent websites.
