Daily news refers to an ongoing flow of information about current events and affairs. It can take the form of television and radio broadcasts, news websites, newspapers and magazines. It can also include social media and blog posts, which often offer a condensed version of the news. In any of these forms, daily news can be used to inform people about events and issues that affect them in their local community or around the world.
The Yale Daily News is the nation’s oldest college newspaper and serves the community of Yale and New Haven, Connecticut. The paper was founded on January 28, 1878 and is financially and editorially independent from the university. The News publishes Monday through Friday during the academic year. The News is free to all Yale students and also is available to residents of the community. In addition to the regular daily edition, the News also produces several special issues each year in collaboration with Yale’s cultural centers and affiliated student groups.
Throughout its history, the News has held a broad array of viewpoints. It was initially a staunch Republican publication, favoring isolationism during the early stages of World War II and espousing conservative populism in the 1950s. It later embraced a high-minded, if moderately liberal, editorial stance, which remains today.
In the era of digital journalism, local papers have struggled to adapt. Many have closed or scaled back in recent years, while others have reworked their business models to survive. The death of a locally owned paper can leave a gap in the community’s knowledge about what is happening in their town, who is being elected to public office and how their taxes are spent. This gap can be filled by citizens stepping up to become gatekeepers for their own communities.
In Death of the Daily News, filmmaker Hugh Ferriss follows two dozen citizens of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, as they take up this challenge. He shows how they are attempting to fill the void left by their lost newspaper and offers clues about how other towns might do the same. This is a vital and timely examination of what happens when a local newspaper dies, how it can be replaced and how it can be rebuilt. It also makes the case that local journalism is still relevant and necessary in a democracy, even in the age of Trump.