Founded in 1919, the Daily News was the first successful tabloid newspaper in the United States. The News attracted readers with sensational coverage of crime and scandal, lurid photographs, and cartoons. It was the largest-circulation daily paper in America by the mid-20th century. The News competed with its rival, the New York Post, for circulation. Each of these newspapers had a different approach to journalism and each had their strengths.
In the 1970s the Daily News took a bolder, more provocative approach to its journalism and began a long-standing feud with the New York Post. The News became a champion of the First Amendment, fighting to protect the rights of those who were disadvantaged by society, including immigrants and the poor. The News fought for social change through its editorial pages and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for E.R. Shipp’s pieces on race and welfare and again in 1998 for Mike McAlary’s coverage of police brutality against Abner Louima.
As the News grew in influence, its ownership changed several times. During the 1980s, the Tribune Company, which owned the News, sought to break its ties with unions. This prompted a multi-union strike that lasted for five months. While the News continued to publish, relying on non-union staff members, it lost $70 million in the fourth quarter of 1990 alone.
By 1991, controversial British media mogul Robert Maxwell purchased the Daily News from the Tribune Company. He was able to successfully negotiate contracts with the News’ ten unions, allowing the newspaper to continue publishing without having to pay for replacement workers. This was a major turning point in the News’ history as it re-established itself as one of the most influential papers in the city.
The Daily News is located in a large complex at One Police Plaza in New York City. Besides the newspaper, the complex also houses several radio and television stations including WNBC, an AM station which is the sister network of CBS News. The building also contains the offices of several public television and radio channels including NBC News, New York City PBS and the New York City Metropolitan Opera.
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