Daily news is a term used to describe the collection of current events published in print form each day. The word is also sometimes used to describe a television news program that is broadcast on a regular basis. Often, newspaper articles are printed on a large scale and feature many photographs to provide readers with an easy-to-read, comprehensive overview of events that took place that day. In addition to news stories, daily newspapers may contain a number of different types of information, such as sports, entertainment and political events.
In the 1920s, the New York City-based Daily News was one of the largest newspapers in the United States. It had a reputation for sensational pictorial coverage and titillating storylines. By the end of the decade, it was locked in a circulation battle with its even more sensational rival tabloid, the New York Post. In 1975, the Daily News gained national attention for its screamer headline, “Ford to City: Drop Dead.”
After the News’ owner, Mortimer Zuckerman, purchased it in 1986, the paper was repositioned as a serious tabloid and began to focus on local news and community affairs. It was able to revive its profitability and in 1993, it became the first major daily newspaper in the country to offer color printing.
The daily newspaper is a large and expensive operation. Its staff consists of full-time reporters, editors and photographers. Typically, each reporter is assigned to a beat that includes schools, local government and businesses. In smaller markets, a single reporter is responsible for the entire publication area.
Each page of the newspaper is “laid out” using a computer software program such as Adobe PageMaker, Adobe InDesign or Quark Xpress. The layout includes the arrangement of the photographs (along with their cutlines, or captions identifying them), the copy and the white space. Once the layout is completed, it can be printed on dummy sheets, burned to a CD-ROM or Zip disk, or sent electronically to an off-site publication plant for printing.
In addition to its daily news operation, the Daily News has also produced a number of successful special editions over the years. These include the quarterly BET Weekend, which focuses on African-American issues, and the monthly Caribbean Monthly. The News has also been at the forefront of the fight against AIDS. In 1996, the News introduced its annual City Guide, a comprehensive source of information for residents of the five boroughs. In addition, the City Guide provides details on cultural events, restaurants, clubs and other attractions. The guide is available in a variety of formats and is distributed to more than 100,000 households throughout the metropolitan area.