Founded on January 28, 1878, the Yale Daily News (YDN) is the oldest college daily newspaper in the United States. It is published every weekday when the University is in session and has been a primary source of news and debate at Yale for over 140 years. YDN editors, writers, and contributors have gone on to distinguished careers in journalism and public service, including William F. Buckley, Lan Samantha Chang, John Hersey, Sargent Shriver, Joseph Lieberman, Paul Steiger, Strobe Talbott, and Calvin Trillin. YDN is committed to the principle that its stories should not be sensational in the sense of trivializing serious issues or glamorizing criminal acts, and strives for balance in its coverage of both local and national news.
The Daily News entered the market as a tabloid, and found early success as a result of its smaller format. It also tapped into a niche with its content, emphasizing scandalous and titillating topics. It was an early user of the Associated Press wirephoto service and had a large staff of photographers.
In addition to its editorial content, the Daily News focused heavily on advertising. This led to the creation of a successful insert, BET Weekend for African Americans. It was followed in 1996 by Caribbean Monthly. The Daily News grew its circulation to over a million by the late 1990s. Its flagship building was the News Building at 450 West 33rd Street, which still serves as a newspaper headquarters.
By the 1980s, the Daily News was struggling financially. Its parent company had yielded to union demands on rules and job numbers, and the paper was losing over $1 million per month. Closing the paper was considered, but it would have cost in excess of $100 million for severance pay and pensions.
The 1980s also saw the first cracks in the impenetrable exterior of the Daily News. It was forced to close for almost three months in 1978 during a multi-union strike, and the Times suggested this was when readership began to dwindle. The News eventually rebounded, but by the time it was sold to Robert Maxwell, the owner of Britain’s Daily Mirror, in 1991, circulation had fallen to below 800,000 daily copies, a fraction of its 1940s heyday.
After the sale, the Daily News made several big changes to its operations in an attempt to rediscover its earning potential and reposition itself as a “serious tabloid”. The News introduced color presses, boosted its advertising revenue, and launched new programs such as its popular sports page. By 2017, it had a much smaller circulation, but continued to operate as one of the nation’s leading tabloids. It is currently owned by Tronc, the publishing arm of the Tribune Company. Its current home is the New York City headquarters at 4 New York Plaza. The paper has a reputation for a strong liberal bias, which is often contrasted with its rival, the New York Post. In recent years, it has shifted to more of a moderate-to-liberal leaning, and its editorial team has included a number of renowned columnists.