The Daily News is a tabloid-style newspaper founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City. It is the oldest newspaper still in print in the United States. The paper is best known for its coverage of the New York City and New Jersey areas, including the major cities of Manhattan and Jersey City. It is also known for its celebrity gossip and sports coverage, especially for the Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Jets. The Daily News has been a Pulitzer Prize winner for its coverage of World War II and the Vietnam War, as well as in general journalism.
Its editorially independent staff publishes a daily newspaper Monday through Friday when classes are in session, and a weekly issue during the summer and other school holidays. In addition, it produces a number of special editions of the paper throughout the year that celebrate diversity and honor student achievements in collaboration with Yale’s cultural centers and affiliated student groups. The YDN Historical Archive provides access to digitized versions of the printed newspaper dating back to 1878.
The paper is owned by SMG-Batavia, a family-owned media company in Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans counties, that also publishes a local business publication and multiple niche publications, as well as several annual special sections. It is a leader in regional business and community news, and its staff has been recognized with multiple awards for writing and photography.
As part of the sale, Tronc will assume the newspaper’s pension and operational liabilities. In return, it will get a presence in the highly competitive New York media market and a news site with about 25 million unique monthly visitors, according to the deal’s terms announced by the newspaper on its website. The acquisition comes as the newspaper industry faces a sharp decline in print circulation, as advertising dollars shift from print to online, and as readership habits change.
The Daily News has long been a pioneer in tabloid journalism and a staunch supporter of its staff. In the early years of the 20th century, it was among the first U.S. newspapers to adopt a full-color tabloid format and to reach a daily circulation peak. The paper has struggled in recent decades, however, as readers and advertisers have shifted from print to online, and its reputation for investigative reporting has been hurt by a series of ethical scandals. The newspaper also has been buffeted by the economic turmoil that has hit many other news organizations. In recent months, it has been losing money and subscribers. It is not alone: the entire newspaper industry has been struggling for years to adapt to a digital age. Like many other newspapers, the Daily News has been trying to find ways to adapt while maintaining its high level of journalism. It is hoping the purchase by Tronc will give it a chance to do so.