The Daily News
A newspaper is a periodical publication printed on paper, typically on a daily basis. It is a general-interest periodical with varying content and coverage, but all newspapers include news articles, editorials, and columnists that present opinions and analyses of current events and issues. Periodical publications are often divided into sections devoted to specific topics, such as politics, business and finance, crime, weather, sports, and society. Newspapers may also contain features that report on historical events, such as wars or natural disasters. The editorial section of a newspaper, usually written by the editor or a group of editors, provides opinion and analysis of current events and public policy. Many newspapers have separate opinion pages called op-eds in which guest writers express their own opinions on a topic. Newspapers are generally available for purchase at newsstands and shops, but since the 1990s most have been made available over the Internet as online newspapers.
The New York Daily News is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1919 and currently based at 4 New York Plaza in Manhattan, New York City. The News is the ninth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States, with an average circulation of over 200,000 copies. Its editorial stance has been described as “flexibly centrist” with a “high-minded, if populist, legacy.” The News has often been compared to its rival, the New York Post, which has a more conservative political agenda.
During its heyday in the 1920s, the News was a prominent purveyor of sensational and outlandish news items, frequently in the service of a political story, such as exposing government corruption or revealing celebrity scandals. It also found ample material in social intrigue, such as the romance between Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII that led to the latter’s abdication. The News was an early adopter of wirephotography, and developed a large staff of photographers.
Most traditional newspapers are aimed at the broadest possible range of readers in their given geographic region. However, a few serve more narrowly defined reader groups, such as business people, sports fans, or members of a particular religious faith. Still others are published on a weekly basis and are targeted to groups as small as a single college campus or city neighborhood.
Regardless of the target audience, most newspapers are run as businesses and have four main departments — editorial, production/printing, circulation, and advertising. The overall manager of a newspaper, and often its largest shareholder, is the publisher. Most newspapers have other non-newspaper-specific departments, such as accounting, human resources, and information technology. Some newspapers, especially those with limited financial resources, are distributed free of charge, relying on reader contributions to offset production and distribution costs. In some cases, the newspaper’s owner may donate funds to support the paper. Other media, such as television and radio, also serve to distribute news. But the newspaper is still one of the most important sources for reporting and commentary. Its role as an independent voice for the voiceless has been recognized by several awards and accolades over its long history.