A daily newspaper is a publication published on a regular basis, usually on business days except Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. Its contents include news items, editorials, opinion articles (usually called op-eds or columnists’ opinions), and advertising. It may also contain comics, sports or other sections, and often a large number of photographs. Most newspapers are aimed at general readers and serve geographically defined areas. However, some are targeted to groups of readers such as certain ethnic populations or interests (e.g., local gay community or indie rock music fans) within a city or region.
The Yale Daily News is the nation’s oldest college daily newspaper and has been financially and editorially independent since its founding on January 28, 1878. The News publishes Monday through Friday during the academic year and serves students at Yale and in New Haven, CT. It publishes a Friday supplement known as WEEKEND, as well as several special issues each year including the Yale-Harvard Game Day Issue and Commencement Issue. It has also created dedicated special issues celebrating Yale’s Indigenous, Black, AAPI and Latinx communities in collaboration with their respective cultural centers and affiliated student groups.
In addition to general news and sports, most daily newspapers offer features that appeal to a specific audience, such as celebrity gossip and classified ads. They may also have entertainment listings, weather forecasts and a calendar of events. Many offer a broad range of opinion and commentary, both in the editorial page and in columnists’ opinions, which are usually included in the op-ed section.
As printing technology has improved and other forms of media competed for attention, market penetration for daily newspapers declined. By the early 1970s, it had fallen below 100 percent of all households in the newspaper’s market area. This figure was later reduced further as the internet made the availability of other information sources more widespread.
Nevertheless, daily newspapers remain an important source of public information. In a time when information is increasingly available in digital formats, they provide valuable context and analysis of what’s happening, especially for people who don’t have the resources to keep up with events themselves. A variety of strategies have been used to improve the credibility of daily news, such as appointing ombudsmen and developing ethics policies, using more stringent corrections procedures, and communicating with readers to explain their editorial decisions.