Founded in 1919 as the Illustrated Daily News by Joseph Medill Patterson and owned by the Tribune Publishing Company (sold in 2017 for $1), the newspaper was the first tabloid ever printed in the United States. It drew readers with sensational coverage of crime, scandal, and violence and lurid photographs and cartoons. The newspaper also included intense city news coverage, celebrity gossip, classified ads, and sports.
The paper’s editorial stance changed with its owners and readership over the years. During the 1940s and 1960s it espoused conservative populism, and in the mid-1990s began shifting to a moderately liberal stance. In the late 20th century it was locked in a circulation battle with its rival, the New York Post.
For much of its history the Daily News was based in an art deco building on East 42nd Street, designed by architects John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood, which featured a giant globe in the lobby. The News moved out in 1995 to 450 West 33rd Street, now known as Manhattan West. The original headquarters is now the world headquarters of the Associated Press, and is a National Historic Landmark. It was the model for the Daily Planet building in the first two Superman films.
Today’s Daily News is a tabloid with an intense focus on local news and politics, especially in New York City. Its website features breaking news, extensive city and entertainment coverage, and opinion pieces. The paper continues to include large photographs, and maintains bureaus in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.
