The Yale Daily News is the oldest college newspaper in the United States. It has been published every day since 1908 when the University was in session. Among its alumni are William F. Buckley, Lan Samantha Chang, John Hersey, Paul Steiger, Strobe Talbott, and the renowned historian Daniel Yergin. The News has also inspired countless student writers, editors, and contributors who have gone on to pursue prominent careers in journalism and public life. The News has been a vital source of discussion and debate on campus for more than 130 years.
In its 20th-century heyday, The New York Daily News was a brawny metro tabloid that thrived by digging into crime and corruption. It served as the model for The Daily Planet building in the first two Superman films, and won Pulitzer Prizes in commentary, writing, and international reporting. Today, the paper remains a major New York city news outlet with top national and local news stories, New York exclusives, politics, and the latest in celebrities and sports.
But the News has not been immune to financial trouble. Its owner, the Tribune Publishing chain formerly known as Tronc, has imposed pay cuts, buyouts and outsourced its printing plant in an effort to cut costs, and the newspaper has lost circulation.
On Wednesday, Tribune Publishing told employees that the newsroom in the gleaming tower at 4 New York Plaza in Lower Manhattan — home to a large four-faced clock — was closing for good. The move was a shock, even though staff members knew it was coming because of cost-cutting measures by the hedge fund that now owns the company, Alden Global Capital.
Workers received an email saying they could retrieve their belongings from the newsroom by Oct. 30 and that the News’ suburban offices, including one in Aurora, Ill., which houses a Tribune-owned newspaper that suffered a deadly shooting two years ago, would also close.
The News has a rich legacy of community service and public service journalism. It was the first newspaper in the country to have a dedicated unit of staff called “Public Interest,” and it has been at the forefront of coverage of human trafficking, gun violence, and other social issues. The News’ reporters have won many awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2021.
The Yale Daily News Historical Archive is made possible by the generous support of a private donation from an anonymous Yale alumnus in 2021. This gift enabled the archive to migrate to a more user-friendly platform, to expand its coverage to include the most recent issues of the newspaper, and will help ensure that the Yale Daily News Historical Archive is available to researchers for generations to come. The Yale Library is grateful for this generosity. To learn more about the archive, or to make a contribution, please visit the archive’s page on our website. You can also view the archive on a mobile device or tablet. You can also subscribe to the Yale Daily News to receive the paper in your inbox each morning.