Founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the Illustrated Daily News, the newspaper is known for its bold journalism, commitment to New York City and its diverse content. It covers breaking news and in-depth investigations, politics, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle, along with celebrity gossip and community news. Daily News is published by Tribune Publishing and has a unique style of reporting that features visual storytelling, strong social media engagement and deep local roots.
DailyNews is the most popular newspaper in New York City. With a circulation of over 1.6 million, the newspaper is renowned for its bold journalism and extensive coverage of local news. Its focus on the city’s most pressing issues, its deep investigative reports and its unwavering support for the community set it apart from other national newspapers. Its commitment to the city also extends beyond print, with a robust digital presence and numerous events.
The paper rose rapidly during the 1930s, establishing itself as one of the leading tabloids in the United States. It was an early user of the Associated Press wirephoto service, and its staff included columnists such as Ed Sullivan. By 1947, the Daily News reached its peak circulation of 2.4 million copies per day and became the nation’s largest newspaper.
But the newspaper’s success came at a price. As with its rivals the New York Post and the New York Times, it was subjected to a multi-month union strike that resulted in a sharp drop in readership. The Times suggested this decline wasn’t solely caused by the strike, pointing to a combination of factors including a price increase and production problems that occurred after the strike ended.
By the 1980s, the Daily News was losing $1 million a month. Even though its parent company, the Tribune Company, had offered to sell it, the newspaper refused. Closing the paper was considered, but the Daily News staff was too large to be able to be easily disbanded and replaced with non-union workers.
In 1995, the Daily News moved out of its home of 65 years, the News Building (also called 5 Manhattan West), a landmark on 42nd Street designed by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood. Today the newspaper is based at 450 West 33rd Street. The building’s lobby still contains a giant globe, and the former News subsidiary WPIX-TV remains in the old News Building as well.