On Sept. 3, 1833, Benjamin Day published the first issue of The Sun in New York City, helping launch the penny press.
Most daily newspapers cost six cents and catered to merchants and wealthier readers, but The Sun sold for just one cent. Its four pages focused on local news, crime, court cases, sports and lively human-interest stories instead of politics and business. Day also hired newsboys to sell copies on the street, making newspapers easier to buy.
The formula worked: by 1834, The Sun had the nation’s largest circulation, proving that daily news could reach a broad mass audience.
Want more Sept. 3 history? See what else happened on this day.
– Staff report with AI assist*, The Today 100
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