The daily news can be overwhelming. These apps curate the best stories of the day into concise updates that can be consumed before the workday begins.
The New York Daily News (not to be confused with the earlier Illustrated Daily News, which ceased publication in 1906) was the first newspaper published in tabloid format and once had the highest circulation of any paper in the United States. During its heyday, the Daily News was famous for its sensational pictorial coverage and willingness to go above and beyond in the pursuit of a headline that grabbed the attention of readers.
In 1975, the paper launched one of its most enduring headlines after President Gerald Ford delivered a speech vetoing a city bankruptcy bailout: “FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD!” The catchy phrase stuck and became the slogan for the Daily News until it was replaced in 1989 by the more succinct “New York’s most trusted voice”.
Founded in 1919, the Daily News was known for its intense city news coverage, celebrity gossip, classified ads, comics, a sports section, and an opinion section. The newspaper’s storied history includes many milestones, including being the first to publish a picture of Ruth Snyder in the electric chair, taken when a Daily News reporter strapped a camera to his leg and captured the moment of electrocution. The Daily News’ success in the 1920s and 1930s led it to commission architect Raymond Hood and engineer John Mead Howells to design a spectacular art deco building at 450 West 33rd Street, which straddled the railroad tracks into Pennsylvania Station and served as inspiration for the fictional newspaper the Daily Planet in the Superman franchise.
For a more focused, less overwhelming digest of the news of the day, try this weekday morning e-newsletter that distills the top headlines into pithy summaries and insightful commentary. TheSkimm’s team of writers aim to deliver a read that is as entertaining as it is informative, and they often succeed by spinning of-the-moment information into humorous new narratives (“What to say when your tween starts asking for the Internet password”). Each daily e-newsletter also features a hilarious relevant tweet to add a dash of humor to the intel.
Another great option for busy professionals, this sleek iPhone app (also available on Android) delivers twice-daily definitive news summaries from reputable sources. Each update contains mini news stories, key quote call-outs, video clips, Wikipedia excerpts, relevant maps, and tweets, and is a great way to get your news fix before the start of the workday. Pulse, which was acquired by Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer in 2016, is an especially useful tool for businesspeople as it is based on your LinkedIn profile and can help you connect with peers and potential clients. Like most standalone apps that are acquired by bigger companies, however, it has suffered from a loss of popularity since its integration into LinkedIn. Still, it remains an excellent option for the more discerning news junkie.