The Daily News
Founded in 1919, the New York Daily News quickly became the largest newspaper in America. Its brassy, pictorial style made it especially popular on the subway system, where commuters found it easier to handle and navigate than larger newspapers. Initially, it focused on scandalous and titillating stories, but it also included reader contests and cartoon strips. By the middle of the Roaring Twenties, its circulation had reached 1.5 million.
After World War II, the Daily News continued to thrive. It was an early user of the Associated Press wirephoto service and employed a large staff of photographers, as well as columnists including Ed Sullivan, who would later become famous for his television show on CBS. The paper also expanded into tabloid journalism, which appealed to readers who wanted more sensational and titillating stories.
The Daily News developed a reputation for championing the rights of New York City’s residents, particularly those perceived to lack a voice in society. It won Pulitzer Prizes for editorial writing (first for E.R. Shipp’s pieces on race, welfare and social issues and then for Mike McAlary’s coverage of police brutality against Haitian immigrant Abner Louima) and was known as “The World’s Largest Picture Newspaper”.
In 1975, the Daily News rolled out what became its most famous headline: “FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD”. This referred to President Gerald Ford’s decision not to bail out financially troubled New York City, a policy which the newspaper had previously opposed. In the subsequent years, the News lost significant market share to USA Today, and in 1993 its owners, the Tribune Publishing Company (later renamed Tronc), put it up for sale.
The newspaper was bought by Mort Zuckerman, the owner of the Atlantic. Unlike previous owners, Zuckerman was not afraid to take the Daily News in a new direction and in 1994 began to reposition it as a serious tabloid. He invested $60 million in color presses, and by the end of 1993 the Daily News was making a profit.
This is a collection of the front pages of newspapers from around the United States and many countries of the world. Each day, we feature a different front page to give you a glimpse into what is happening in the world of journalism today.
The Yale Daily News is the nation’s oldest college newspaper, published every weekday during the academic year at Yale University. YDN is committed to a diverse and inclusive community and strives to reflect the voices of all Yale students, faculty, and staff. Many of YDN’s alumni have gone on to careers in journalism and public service, and have made a difference for the betterment of our country and the world.