Daily News is an American morning tabloid newspaper published in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as the Illustrated Daily News by Joseph Medill Patterson and became known for sensational reporting on crime, scandal, and violence and for lurid photographs. It remained one of the largest circulation newspapers in the United States throughout the 20th century, although its readership dipped from its mid-20th-century peak. It competed with its rival, the New York Post (also a daily tabloid), for readers and advertising revenue.

Despite its low circulation, the paper was an important source of information about city government and politics and the daily lives of its residents. Its coverage of the city’s police department was especially influential in sparking changes to police practices and procedures that improved public safety.

Its editorial policy was liberal and sometimes outspoken. It championed the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement, and the women’s suffrage movement. It opposed racial discrimination in housing and employment, but it also supported affirmative action. The Daily News was one of the first major U.S. newspapers to publish color photographs. Its distinctive art deco building at 220 East 42nd Street, designed by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood, was a city landmark.

In later years, Kaye’s political views shifted more toward radical centrism. He was a strong supporter of the Los Angeles police departments reforms following the beating of Rodney King, and he was outraged at the Rampart police corruption scandal. His passion for journalism and his fierce competitiveness — which sometimes bordered on bombast — made him a feared presence at the Daily News.

After leaving the Daily News, Kaye continued to write and speak out on journalistic issues. He wrote under his own name for several publications and tried to organize grassroots coalitions to foster civic engagement. He was also a prolific blogger. He died in 2021 at the age of 79 and was survived by his wife, Deborah Reifman, and son, James.

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