Founded in 1919, Daily News was the first tabloid newspaper in the United States. It attracted readers by focusing on sensational and titillating stories, large photographs, reader contests, and cartoon strips. The paper was also notable for its political coverage. In the 1920s, the newspaper often highlighted political wrongdoing in the Teapot Dome scandal and social intrigue such as Wallis Simpson’s romance with King Edward VIII. It was also an early user of the Associated Press wirephoto service and employed a staff of photographers.

The newspaper grew steadily and by the middle of the Roaring Twenties was the largest newspaper in the world. At that time, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Company. The News’ success was attributed to its willingness to go to extreme lengths to get a story, such as when a reporter strapped a camera to his leg in order to photograph Ruth Snyder during her execution in the electric chair. The photo was published the next day with the headline “DEAD!”

In 1975, the News rolled out what would become its most famous headline in its history: “FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD.” The front page headline referred to President Gerald Ford’s refusal to sign a bankruptcy bailout for New York City. The newspaper subsequently claimed that the headline played a major role in losing the 1976 presidential election to Jimmy Carter.

Although the News was able to maintain its position as one of the country’s top newspapers, its circulation continued to decline. In 1978, a strike by the paper’s labor unions was particularly damaging to the newspaper, and the Daily News lost 145,000 subscribers. The newspaper was able to regain some of its lost momentum in the 1980s, and it once again became a highly-popular publication.

Throughout the 1990s, the News was plagued by financial troubles. As a result, it had to make many painful concessions in its coverage. The paper’s editorial staff was largely replaced with younger employees, and the News began to focus on celebrity gossip and sports news. In addition, the Daily News expanded its presence in television by launching its own station, WPIX.

In 2017, the News was purchased by tronc, which is the parent company of the Chicago Tribune. The paper remains headquartered in New York City and continues to be published as the Daily News. Its current slogan is, “The Eyes, The Ears, The Honest Voice of New York.” In terms of bias and reliability, the News scores in the Skews Left category on Ad Fontes Media’s ratings. In recent years, the newspaper has shifted toward a more moderate-to-liberal stance. The Daily News is a member of the National Press Club. It is often compared to the more conservative New York Post.