When it comes to newspaper history, few have had more highs and lows than the New York Daily News. Founded in 1919 as the Illustrated Daily News, it became the first successful tabloid in the United States and reached its peak circulation in 1947 with a staggering 2.4 million daily readers. The newspaper was known for its sensational pictorial coverage of crime and scandal, as well as its entertainment features, including celebrity gossip and classified ads. Its storied past also includes its iconic art deco News Building, which was used as the model for the Daily Planet in the Superman films.
The Daily News continued to thrive throughout the mid-20th century, becoming an early user of Associated Press wirephotos and employing a large staff of photographers. Its extensive World War II coverage won praise from many critics, with Time magazine proclaiming that “The brassy, pictorial New York Daily News leads all the rest.” In 1947 the Daily News reached its circulation peak and began printing on color presses. Its heyday would see the Daily News becoming America’s biggest newspaper.
However, it wasn’t all glitz and glamour for the New York Daily News, which was struggling to stay profitable even during its peak years. By the 1980s, it had started to lose money, and its parent company Tribune Publishing was considering selling the newspaper. The Daily News was able to stave off extinction when it hired controversial British media mogul Robert Maxwell, who had been known as a union buster. Maxwell negotiated successfully with the paper’s unions, and the Daily News reverted to profitability.
In 1993, the Daily News was sold to Mort Zuckerman, who made several big changes in an attempt to boost its revenue potential. One such move was the introduction of the quarterly BET Weekend insert for African American readers. By 1996, the supplement was a success and the Daily News expanded it to become a monthly feature.
The rise of the internet in the 21st century has wreaked havoc on traditional print newspapers, and the Daily News was no exception. Its readership dropped significantly, and in 2017 the paper was sold for a mere $1 to Tronc, the owner of the Chicago Tribune. Tronc promptly went on a firing spree, with editor-in-chief Jim Rich among the casualties.
The re-launched Daily News attempted to reinvent itself as a more serious tabloid, and the newspaper regained some of its lost glory. But its circulation continues to decline, and in 2019 the Daily News reported a loss of $36 million. As the news cycle continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether the Daily News will be able to stay relevant in this digital age. This article was originally published on November 20, 2018. It has been updated to reflect current events. Each Daily News article contains comprehension and critical thinking questions, as well as “Background” and “Resources” sections to help students understand the news story. To access these resources, simply click on the questions below each article.