Daily News delivers the latest breaking news and analysis from New York City and around the world. Its award-winning writers, columnists and opinion formers cover national and local news, New York exclusives, politics and the latest in sports and entertainment. Its New York-centric sports coverage includes the Yankees, Mets and Giants, plus the best of high school, college and pro football and basketball.
The first successful tabloid newspaper in the United States, the New York Daily News was founded in 1919. Attracting readers with sensational coverage of crime and scandal, lurid photographs and reader contests and cartoons, it quickly grew to be the most widely read paper in the country.
As the nation’s largest city, it was only natural that the Daily News would have a keen eye for the local scene. But the Daily News also became a force to be reckoned with in national politics, especially when it began campaigning for President Franklin Roosevelt in 1936. The Daily News became a champion for social justice and civil rights, often highlighting the plight of minorities in America. It also gained a reputation for protecting the First Amendment and giving a voice to the people of New York City, including those perceived to be without one.
During the late 1960s, it began shifting to a more centrist stance and promoting itself as “the most New York newspaper you can get”. This was reflected in its slogans: “The Eyes, the Ears, the Honest Voice of New York” and “The brassy, pictorial Daily News leads all the rest”.
In 1978, the Daily News saw its circulation peak at 2.6 million. However, a multi-union strike at the paper’s printing plants lowered its production and led to price hikes, which ultimately hurt its sales. The newspaper was sold to Mort Zuckerman, owner of the Atlantic Media Company and publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times and Britain’s Daily Telegraph, in 1993 for $1 and all of its liabilities.
The Daily News has continued to evolve throughout the years, moving toward a more liberal stance in its editorials while remaining fiercely independent in its reporting. It has reported on the AIDS crisis, racial discrimination, terrorism and poverty in America, and in many cases, it was the only source of information available at the time.
For IAS aspirants, reading the Daily News is a vital part of their preparation. It helps them understand the nuances of each news item and its implications. This not only boosts their current affairs score but also makes them confident enough to excel in their exam. Aspirants should read the Daily News from reputed sources and watch programs like ‘One Hour two Newspaper’ to get an in-depth understanding of each news item. They must also remember that news isn’t isolated; it connects with broader contemporary issues and can impact the society at large.