Daily News is an American newspaper founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson. The paper focuses on New York City and national news. Its editorial content is frequently critical of the political and social status quo.

The newspaper has a long history of scandalous coverage and is considered one of the first tabloids. It has also been at the forefront of investigative journalism, and has published some of the most influential editorials in American history. Its front page screamers, like the 1975 “Ford to City: Drop Dead” and the 1975 execution of Ruth Snyder in the electric chair, have become famous in the United States.

Despite this, the paper has never been the biggest seller of its rival, the New York Post, and its circulation is significantly lower than it was in the mid-20th century. Nevertheless, it is still considered one of the country’s top newspapers.

In the 1930s, the Daily News was an early user of Associated Press wirephoto service and built up a large staff of photographers. The newspaper was also known for its sensational pictorial coverage and its willingness to go the extra mile in pursuit of attention-grabbing headlines. Its eponymous headquarters, completed in 1928, was designed by Raymond Hood and John Mead Howells and straddled the tracks leading into Pennsylvania Station. It was later used as the inspiration for the Daily Planet building in the Superman franchise.

After World War II, the Daily News regained its popularity and prestige. In 1947, it hit a circulation high of 2.4 million. At this point, the paper was regarded as the best selling newspaper in the nation.

The Daily News continued to flourish through the 1970s and ’80s, but labor costs began to eat into profits. By 1990, the ten unions that comprised its workforce struck the newspaper for five months, costing the Daily News nearly a hundred million dollars in losses. The newspaper fought back by hiring non-union workers, but the move was not enough to avert the Daily News’ collapse into bankruptcy.

In 1993, the newspaper was purchased by Mort Zuckerman, who hoped to reposition it as a serious tabloid. He made several big changes, including investing $60 million in color presses to match the visual quality of USA Today. In addition, he started to negotiate with the unions and successfully renegotiated contracts with nine of the ten unions. As a result, the newspaper returned to profitability in 1993.