The Daily News was the first tabloid newspaper to be published in New York and once had the largest circulation in the world. Founded in 1919, it attracted readers with sensational coverage of crime and scandal, lurid photographs, and cartoons and other entertainment features. Originally a conservative paper, it became more liberal with the passage of time and was often contrasted with the right-wing New York Post. The News was a pioneer in the use of wire service photos and specialized in large and prominent photographs. The Daily News was a major supplier of raw footage to television news programs and has a long history of cooperation with the film industry. The News is currently owned by Tronc, the publishing arm of Tribune Company.
The Yale Daily News is a college newspaper that serves the Yale and New Haven communities and is the nation’s oldest college daily. It publishes Monday through Friday during the academic year, as well as special issues including the Yale-Harvard game issue, Commencement and a series of cultural and community focused supplements. The News also hosts an annual journalism conference, and has established the Yale Daily News Historical Archive.
Throughout the country, technology is disrupting local news and closing many local papers. As a result, communities are becoming “news deserts” without traditional news sources. In this book, Andrew Conte explores what happens when a town loses its newspaper and how residents attempt to make sense of their community, separate fact from fiction, and find new ways to get their information.
With perceptive insight and deep reporting, Death of the Daily News is a timely look at a fundamental shift in American life as the landscape for local news changes. It is a must-read for anyone interested in our democracy and the future of news media. The book is a reminder that the loss of a local paper affects everyone in the community. It is a call to action and a sign that there are ways forward for local journalism.
