The Yale Daily News
Founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the Illustrated Daily News, the New York City–based newspaper is the first U.S. daily printed in tabloid format and at one point was the highest-circulating paper in the United States, with a peak circulation of over 2.4 million copies a day in 1947. Today, the Daily News has a circulation of approximately 1.7 million.
The Daily News features large and prominent photographs, intense city news coverage, celebrity gossip, classified ads, comics, a sports section, and opinion sections. The News has a history of supporting progressive causes, such as women’s rights, gay rights, civil rights, and anti-colonialism. It was also a pioneer of the wirephoto service, becoming an early adopter of the Associated Press in the 1930s. At its most popular, the Daily News leaned right in its editorial stance, advocating isolationism in World War II and conservatism thereafter.
In the digital age, technology has wreaked havoc on local journalism, closing newspapers and creating ‘news deserts’ across the country. In Death of the Daily News, Andrew Conte focuses on McKeesport, Pennsylvania, where residents struggle to make sense of their community and distinguish fact from gossip when their daily paper died in 2015. A deeply reported and affecting book that will resonate with many readers as it explores the future of local journalism.
Each Daily News article contains comprehension and critical thinking questions that are designed to help students gain a better understanding of the news story. Additionally, YDN provides “Background” and “Resources” (including video clips, maps, and links) below the questions to give teachers additional guidance. Sign-up to receive a FREE daily email with answers to the questions.
Published every weekday during the academic year when Yale is in session, the YDN is the oldest college daily in the United States. Many of its former editors, writers, and contributors have gone on to distinguished careers in journalism and public life, including William F. Buckley, John Hersey, Samantha Power, Sargent Shriver, Calvin Trillin, Garry Trudeau, and Strobe Talbott. The YDN Historical Archive contains issues from the YDN’s founding in 1878 to 1996, with most years missing issues due to a lack of available microfilm. This collection was made possible by a generous gift from an anonymous Yale alumnus in 2021.