Death of the Daily News
With over 140 years of news to report, the Yale Daily News is among the oldest college newspapers in the United States. A gift by an anonymous Yale alumnus has enabled the Archive to be upgraded to a new platform and made available to the public online, enabling users to easily explore digitized versions of the printed newspaper.
In addition to the paper itself, Yale Daily News staff also publishes a weekly supplement known as WKND, a Friday magazine, and several special issues throughout the year, such as the Yale-Harvard game day issue and the commencement issue. The News is committed to providing diverse perspectives through its coverage of the city and university, and to celebrating the unique voices of the community. This commitment is reflected in the News’s work with Yale’s cultural centers and affiliated student groups, as well as through its ongoing reporting on topics of interest to the university.
A longtime rival of the New York Post, the Daily News was one of the nation’s first tabloid newspapers, combining sensational and serious stories to appeal to both broad and niche audiences. Despite its often-sensationalistic editorial positions, the newspaper has always been highly respected for its factual reporting. It is considered a Left-Center source, meaning it leans slightly to the left in its opinion pieces and has a moderately high rating for factual reporting.
Technology has disrupted American journalism, putting thousands of journalists out of work and closing hundreds of newsrooms across the country. This movement has created “news deserts” in which communities have few traditional sources of information. Death of the Daily News explores the struggles of a small town to make sense of the world around them when their local newspaper dies. It asks whether we can revive the era of community journalism, and if so, how.
The Daily News was founded in 1923 as the Illustrated Daily News by Cornelius Vanderbilt IV and sold to Manchester Boddy, who ran it for much of its history. It is currently published in New York City and owned by Tronc, which acquired the paper from its previous owner, the Tribune Company. The newspaper’s website features a variety of content, including summaries of patent and trademark court opinions posted the day after they are issued and wire service stories about selected IP cases. Advertising and subscription fees generate revenue. The News is headquartered in the News Building, a historic landmark designed by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood. The building served as the inspiration for the Daily Planet building in the first two Superman movies. The current editor-in-chief is Steve Lopez. The Daily News is a member of the New York Press Association and the National Press Club. The News is a subsidiary of Digital First Media, which publishes 190 newspapers in the United States. The parent company is owned by Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund that has been criticized as a “vulture capitalist” for its takeover of other newspapers.