Founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the Illustrated Daily News, it was the first newspaper printed in tabloid format. The News attracted readers with sensational coverage of crime and scandal, lurid photographs, and cartoons and other entertainment features. By 1930 its circulation had risen to 1,520,000, reaching 2,000,000 in the next decade. For much of its history the newspaper was locked in a fierce circulation battle with its even more sensational rival, the New York Post.
The New York Times described the News’ editorial stance as “flexibly centrist, with a high-minded, if populist, legacy.” In the 1940s and 1950s it supported isolationism in the face of World War II, but by the 1990s it had shifted its position to the left. Today it is a Democratic-leaning alternative to the right-wing Post.
In 2023, the paper was sold to Tronc, a company owned by media mogul Mortimer Zuckerman. The Daily News is now a tabloid that competes with the New York Post and other national dailies. In its heyday the News was one of America’s most influential newspapers, often leading the way in investigative reporting and a reputation for sensationalism. Its 1975 headline, “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” was a famous example of the newspaper’s ability to grab attention with provocative and controversial headlines.
Today’s New York Daily News is published in a tabloid format, with large and prominent photographs. It includes intense city news coverage, celebrity gossip, classified ads, comics and a sports section. It also has an opinion section and a financial section. The newspaper has a print circulation of more than 2.4 million and is the largest circulated metropolitan daily in North America.
The online version of the newspaper is updated daily. The website is free to read, but users can register to add comments and vote on stories. The site also offers a mobile app. The newspaper’s staff also produces several niche publications devoted to local business and agriculture, as well as multiple annual special sections.
The Yale Daily News Historical Archive contains digitized versions of printed issues of the Yale Daily News, dating back to its founding in 1878. The archive is open to the public and provides access to more than 140 years of YDN reporting. An anonymous donor has provided a generous gift that supports the continued growth and maintenance of the archive. It allows us to expand our collections and provide access to more recent issues. YDN is the oldest college daily newspaper in the United States. The newspaper has been a vital source of education and debate for generations of students, teachers, researchers, and general readers alike. The digitized archive provides unprecedented access to the most significant and comprehensive collection of Daily News articles in existence. The Library is grateful for this support.
