Founded in 1919, the New York Daily News was the first successful tabloid newspaper in the United States. It attracted readers with sensational coverage of crime and scandal, lurid photographs and entertainment features. Its editorial stance was conservative populist until the 1940s when it became an isolationist, and then more moderately centrist until the 1990s when it moved away from its right-wing roots and adopted a high-minded, if still populist, legacy.
Today, the Daily News is one of the largest newspapers in the world with a weekly circulation of around 24.3 million. Its flagship website has become an indispensable source of news for millions of people online and is used by many more to read the paper’s digital edition, which is available for free to all subscribers. In addition, the Daily News has a long history of innovation in media and is credited with helping to pave the way for modern digital journalism.
In recent times, the Daily News has continued to evolve its digital offerings. In 2014, it launched a daily news podcast to complement its website and mobile app. The podcast, Today in Focus, is hosted by former BBC journalist Manveen Rana and features the latest news from around the globe each day. The show is produced by Wireless, part of the News UK group which also operates Talk Radio and reaches over 30 million listeners each week in the UK. ‘There’s not a lot of daily podcasts in the UK telling one story in depth every day,’ says Jimmy Buckland, Head of Strategy for Wireless. ‘So we’re delighted that this has been a success for us, enabling us to produce a top-tier product that’s different from anything else in the market.
Daily News has also launched a video-based series of live shows to complement its website and apps. Its ‘Inside Edition’ is a series of interviews with influential people on the issues of the day, and aims to give its audiences an insider perspective on important political and social developments in their own communities and beyond.
As a student publication, the Daily News has been influential on the careers of students who have gone on to prominent positions in public life and journalism. These include William F. Buckley, Lan Samantha Chang, John Hersey, Joseph Lieberman, Sargent Shriver, Paul Steiger, Strobe Talbott and Garry Trudeau.
The Daily News’s future is uncertain as the company faces a possible Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing as Alden Capital, the hedge fund that bought the newspaper last year, continues its ruthless cost-cutting. However, the Daily News is not alone in its struggle and its editors say it will continue to do the hard work needed to keep the paper relevant for a new generation of readers. The 102-year-old institution is facing a major challenge from its competitors as well as from declining print sales and digital readership. Nevertheless, its staffers are confident the Daily News will survive and thrive in its new era under its current owner.