Founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson, who had also published the Chicago Tribune, the Daily News was America’s first successful tabloid newspaper. It attracted readers with sensational coverage of crime, scandal, and violence, lurid photographs, and cartoons and other entertainment features. By 1930 it had the largest circulation of any newspaper in the United States.
By the mid-1930s, the New York Daily News had expanded its staff of photographers and was an early user of Associated Press wirephotos. Its coverage of World War II was particularly acclaimed, and its circulation reached its peak at more than 2 million. The brassy, pictorial style of the paper, which emphasized photography and featured a staff of columnists including Ed Sullivan (who would go on to host The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS) helped it stand out from its rivals; in 1947 Time magazine wrote that “the Daily News leads them all”.
At the turn of the 21st century, the New York Daily News was locked in a fierce circulation battle with its even more sensational rival, the New York Post, but retained a loyal following in the city. Its editorial writers and columnists offered sharp political commentary, intense New York city news coverage, celebrity gossip and sports news, and no one covered the Yankees, Mets and Giants like the Daily News. The paper was also well known for its outspoken attitude toward politicians; in 1975 it famously screamed “Ford to City: Drop Dead!”
In 1985, the Tribune Company’s reputation as a union-buster was earned when it eliminated the salaries of its ten daily newspaper employees. The workers went on strike, a long and bitter struggle that ended only after the Tribune Company offered to hire non-union replacements, but at the cost of a $70 million loss in the fourth quarter alone.
Today, the New York Daily News is a tabloid with a large online presence and a print edition that covers a broad range of news and opinion. The digital version offers interactive maps and videos to accompany stories, as well as the option to read an entire issue offline.
Each Daily News article includes comprehension and critical thinking questions, which are located below the article. Additional resources and background information are provided below the questions as well. Click the arrows to the right of each question to see the answer.