It is impossible to tell the story of New York without telling the story of its media, in particular its newspapers. From the city’s beginnings to modern day, New Yorkers have developed an insatiable thirst for news and information, and the newspaper industry rose to quench that thirst with news coverage that continued to evolve with the city, not just chronicling the Big Apple, but reflecting it as it changed politically, demographically, socially and economically.
From 1725 to the period after World War I, downtown served as home to hundreds of different newspapers (in English and other languages) that not only covered the city, the country and the world, but shaped it as well. Along the way, the newspapers and the people who wrote for, edited and published them became synonymous with the city, achieving fame and fortune along the way.
Join GANYC President Michael Morgenthal, a former journalist, on this fascinating look at the newspapers both past and present that shaped the city. Along the way we will get to know only-in-New York characters like Alexander Hamilton , Dorothy Schiff, Joseph Pulitzer, William Cullen Bryant, Horace Greeley, Nelly Bly, James Gordon Bennett Sr and Jr, and Adolph Ochs. We’ll dive into the stories behind the most famous NYC articles in city history , including “Headless Body in Topless Bar,” “Ford to City: Drop Dead!” and “Yes Virginia There is a Santa Claus!”