A daily newspaper is a periodical publication that contains news and opinions about current events. Daily newspapers typically are published once a day, covering current events and focusing on local issues, though some have national scope. Some daily newspapers also include feature articles such as lifestyle and entertainment articles, sports coverage and political analysis.
Originally, daily newspapers were printed on large sheets of paper called broadsheets that were folded and inserted in envelopes for mailing. Often, they included illustrations and photographs. In the early twentieth century, some of these publications established television and radio stations to reach a wider audience. The New York Daily News founded the television station WPIX in 1948, and its newspaper building at 450 West 33rd Street later became the world headquarters of CBS Radio and its affiliated broadcasting stations.
Weekly newspapers are usually more regional in scope and have smaller circulations than daily newspapers. These may serve a particular county or town, one larger city or several smaller towns and neighborhoods within a large metropolitan area. They may be printed on newsprint or on magazine-style paper. Weekly newspapers may cover a variety of topics such as news, sports, obituaries and community news. They may contain many of the same components as daily newspapers, including editorials and letters to the editor.
Many small and mid-sized weekly newspapers have one or more sales representatives whose job is to sell display advertisements to local businesses. Often, these advertisements are classified ads or business listings, but some larger companies from outside the newspaper’s coverage area also advertise in weekly newspapers.
In addition to advertisements, most weekly newspapers have a section devoted to local news such as car accidents and home fires and local government meetings such as city councils or school boards. These sections may also have police blotters. Weekly newspapers may also have a lifestyle section with features such as restaurant reviews, theater and arts reviews or recipes. Larger weeklies, especially those that are part of chains, also may have a celebrity gossip page and feature articles about travel and the economy.
Like daily newspapers, most weekly newspapers have an editorial page, which reflects the views of the editors and includes articles written by readers on a variety of topics. Many also have a guest columnist section that invites prominent authors or public figures to write for the paper on a specific topic.
The Yale Daily News was first published on January 28, 1878 and is the oldest college daily newspaper in the United States. The YDN is a nonprofit organization, funded by subscribers and grants. It is the primary source of news and debate at Yale, and many of its student writers, editors and contributors have gone on to careers in journalism and public life, including William F. Buckley, John Hersey, Lan Samantha Chang, Joseph Lieberman, Sargent Shriver, Paul Steiger and Garry Trudeau. YDN’s historical archive is open to the public and includes more than 140 years of YDN content.
