History and Overview
- The New York Times is an American daily newspaper based in New York City.
- Founded in 1851 as the New-York Daily Times.
- Published by The New York Times Company.
- Has a worldwide reported readership of 9.41 million digital-only subscribers and 670,000 print subscribers as of 2023.
- Has won 132 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any newspaper.
- The New York Times has expanded its layout and organization since the mid-1970s.
- Sections include News, Editorials/Opinions-Columns/Op-Ed, New York (metropolitan), Business, Arts, Science, Styles, Home, Travel, and other features.
- Emphasis remains on global and U.S. hard news coverage.
- Special weekly sections on various topics are added to supplement regular news.
- Organized into different sections since 2008.
- The New York Times Company has been governed by the Sulzberger family since 1896.
- A.G. Sulzberger, the fifth generation of the family, is the paper's publisher and the company's chairman.
- Adolph Ochs gained a controlling interest in the company in 1896.
- Ochs coined the paper's slogan, 'All The News That's Fit To Print.'
- Under Ochs' guidance, the paper achieved international scope, circulation, and reputation.
Notable Events and Influences
- The New York Times published a series of exposés on William Tweed, leader of Tammany Hall, leading to the end of the Tweed Ring's domination of New York's City Hall.
- The paper transitioned from supporting Republican Party candidates to becoming more politically independent and analytical in the 1880s.
- The main office of The New York Times was attacked during the New York City draft riots in 1863.
- The newspaper played a role in reporting on the Civil War and World War I.
- The paper's influence grew in the early 20th century, with notable events such as the first trans-Atlantic delivery by dirigible balloon in 1919.
- The paper extended its breadth and reach under the leadership of Arthur Hays Sulzberger and Orvil Dryfoos.
- The New York Times achieved international circulation and reputation.
- Notable innovations include the creation of the newspaper's photo library, known as the morgue.
- The paper received the first on-the-spot wireless telegraph transmission from a naval battle in 1904.
- Air delivery and airplane editions were introduced in the early 20th century.
Legal Cases and Freedom of the Press
- In 1964, the New York Times was involved in a libel case called New York Times Co. v. Sullivan.
- This case resulted in a key Supreme Court decision supporting freedom of the press.
- The Supreme Court established the actual malice standard, which requires proof that the publisher knew the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for its truth or falsity.
- Public figures face a high burden of proof in defamation or libel cases, making it difficult for them to succeed.
- This decision has had a significant impact on freedom of the press in the United States.
- In 1971, the New York Times published excerpts from the Pentagon Papers.
- The Pentagon Papers were a secret history of the United States' political and military involvement in the Vietnam War.
- The papers revealed that the government had expanded its role in the war without informing the public.
- This increased the credibility gap for the U.S. government and undermined the Nixon administration's efforts in the war.
- The publication of the Pentagon Papers led to controversy, lawsuits, and a Supreme Court case.
Innovations and Changes
- In the late 1970s, the New York Times introduced new lifestyle sections to attract more advertisers and readers.
- The paper switched from an eight-column format to a six-column format in 1976.
- On September 14, 1987, the New York Times printed the heaviest-ever newspaper, weighing over 12 pounds.
- In 1992, Punch Sulzberger stepped down as publisher, and his son Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. succeeded him.
- The New York Times adopted color photography on its front page on October 16, 1997.
- The New York Times began using a digital production process before 1980.
- In 1983, the Times sold electronic rights to its articles to LexisNexis but later regained them in 1994.
- NYTimes.com was launched on January 22, 1996.
- In 2007, the paper reduced the physical size of its print edition, resulting in cost savings.
- The New York Times made changes to its sections and printing process in 2008 to adapt to industry trends and save costs.
- In December 2012, the New York Times published Snow Fall, a groundbreaking article that integrated multimedia elements.
- In 2013, the Times published an interactive quiz based on the Harvard Dialect Survey.
- The newspaper began producing local inserts in regions outside of the New York area in 2009.
- The Times continued to innovate in online journalism and multimedia storytelling during the 2010s.
Other Topics
- The newspaper's first building was located at 113 Nassau Street in New York City.
- In 1854, it moved to 138 Nassau Street, and in 1858 to 41 Park Row, making it the first newspaper in New York City housed in a building built specifically for its use.
- The newspaper moved its headquarters to the Times Tower, located at 1475 Broadway in 1904, in an area then called Longacre Square, that was later renamed Times Square in the newspaper's honor.
- The top of the building—now known as One Times Square—is the site of the New Year's Eve tradition of lowering a lighted ball, which was begun by the paper.
- The building is also known for its electronic news ticker—popularly known as The