Daily News is a newspaper founded in 1919 and was the first successful tabloid in America. It gained a reputation for sensational coverage of crime and scandal, its lurid photographs, and cartoons and other entertainment features. In addition to its intense city news coverage, it included celebrity gossip, classified ads, comics and a sports section. The Daily News was also an early adopter of the Associated Press wirephoto service and built up a large staff of photographers.
The News was acquired by Tribune Company in 1948. The company owned the television station WPIX, which anchored itself in the former Daily News building. It also bought what became the AM radio station WWFAN, and the FM simulcast of the AM station, which is still in operation today as WFAN-FM. The News at one time maintained local bureaus in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens and shared offices within the One Police Plaza complex with other New York City newspapers.
While the New York Times was the dominant newspaper in the city, the Daily News had its own strong readership base. The paper’s stance on political issues was usually more liberal than that of the Post and it supported isolationism in World War II, although it later shifted to a high-minded but populist legacy. The News remained committed to its photographic coverage and was a pioneer in using color in its pages.
In addition to their editorial stance, Daily News editors and columnists have also held many significant public offices, including president of the United States. These individuals have a combined total of over 100 years in elected office and their opinions are often widely cited by the media.
Despite its long history and prominent role in the city, the newspaper has faced many challenges recently. As the digital revolution has eroded print sales, the News has struggled to compete with online competitors and other online sources of news and information. It has been reported that the current owners of the newspaper, Tronc, are considering selling it to a different company in order to keep the newspaper alive.
The story of what happens when a local newspaper dies is being repeated in communities across the country, and it has never been more clear than in this well-reported study of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that the obituary for a local news outlet doesn’t have to be a bleak one: citizens can become their own gatekeepers and take control of their own news consumption in the face of an increasingly centralized mediasphere.