Founded in 1919, the Daily News calls itself “New York’s Hometown Newspaper.” Known over the years for zesty headlines — perhaps most famously, when it proclaimed “Ford to City: Drop Dead” during New York’s financial woes in 1975 — gossip, city coverage and star columnists including Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill, the paper has also earned a reputation as a champion of the underdog, fighting on behalf of working people, women and minorities. The Daily News is the oldest daily newspaper in the United States and has won a number of Pulitzer Prizes.
The Daily News was originally a tabloid, which is distinguished by its large headlines and photographs and focus on more scandalous and titillating stories. Its success in the 1920s was largely due to its presence on the subway system, where commuters could read the paper while riding between stations. The paper also took advantage of the growing popularity of movies and radio, offering readers a glimpse into the glamorous lifestyles of movie stars and politicians through the pages of the newspaper.
As the century turned, readership of the Daily News began to wane. A multi-union strike in 1978 shook the entire city newspaper industry, and although the Daily News didn’t experience as much of a loss as its major competitors, like the New York Times and the New York Post, it was still losing readers. Adding to the problems, it was reported that labor costs were eating up 44 percent of the News’ revenue.
In a bid to boost revenue, the Daily News made several big changes. It switched to full color presses, and renamed itself the “New York Daily News.” It also added a new slogan: “The Eyes, the Ears, the Honest Voice of New York.”
The move was not enough to save the newspaper from the steep decline it suffered in the 1980s. By the end of the decade, it was losing millions in annual revenue.
With the rise of the internet and online news, the Daily News struggled to keep up with its competitors. In 1991, controversial British media mogul Robert Maxwell purchased the Daily News from the Tribune Company. He sought to break the News’ union ties and hired non-union employees. By doing so, he alienated many long-time readers and was unable to turn around the newspaper’s fortunes.
In 2013, the Daily News was sold to Tronc, which also owns The Los Angeles Times. The purchase was part of a larger deal that included the New York Post and the Orlando Sentinel. The Daily News is now owned by Tronc, which will assume the paper’s operating and pension liabilities and owns its Jersey City printing plant. In addition, the Daily News will continue to operate its popular website.