The New York Sun

The New York Sun was an American[1][2] daily newspaper published in Manhattan from 2002 to 2008. It debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of the earlier New York paper, The Sun (1833–1950). It became the first general-interest broadsheet newspaper to be started in New York City in several decades. Its op-ed page became a prominent platform in the country for conservative viewpoints. Since 2009 The Sun has operated as an (occasional and erratic) online-only publisher of political and economic opinion pieces, as well as occasional arts content.

For the newspaper that ran from 1833 to 1950, see The Sun (New York City).
The New York Sun
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatBroadsheet
Owner(s)ONE SL LLC
PublisherRonald Weintraub
EditorSeth Lipsky
FoundedApril 16, 2002
Ceased publicationSeptember 30, 2008
Headquarters105 Chambers Street
Second Floor
New York, NY 10007 U.S.
Websitenysun.com

History

The Sun was founded by a group of investors including publishing magnate Conrad Black. The goal was to provide an alternative to The New York Times, featuring front page news about local and state events, in contrast to the emphasis on national and international news by the Times. The Sun began business operations, prior to first publication, in October 2001.[3]

The newspaper's president and editor-in-chief was Seth Lipsky, former editor of The Jewish Daily Forward. Managing editor Ira Stoll also served as company vice-president. Stoll had been a longtime critic of the Times in his media watchdog blog smartertimes.com.[4] When smartertimes.com became defunct, its Web traffic was redirected to The Sun web site.

Published from the Cary Building in Lower Manhattan, it ceased print publication on September 30, 2008.[5] When asked why, Lipsky said "we needed additional funds ... the 2008 financial collapse was sweeping the world, and the Internet was emerging as a challenge to traditional newspapering."[6][7]

Its web site resumed activity on April 28, 2009,[8] but only contains a small subset of the original content of the paper, mostly focusing on editorials rather than news content.

The paper's motto, which it shared with its predecessor and namesake, was "It Shines For All".

Editorial perspective and reception

Editor-in-chief Lipsky said that the paper's prominent op-ed page would champion "limited government, individual liberty, constitutional fundamentals, equality under the law, economic growth ... standards in literature and culture, education".[9] Another goal, said Lipsky, was "to seize the local beat from which The New York Times was retreating as it sought to become a national newspaper".[10] Stoll characterized The Sun's political orientation as "right-of-center",[11] and an associate of Conrad Black predicted in 2002 that the paper would be neoconservative in its outlook.[4] Unsigned editorials in the paper advocated prosecuting Iraq War protestors for treason (2003),[12][13] nominating Dick Cheney for the presidency (2007),[14] and lowering, rather than raising, the debt ceiling in response to the debt ceiling crisis (2013).[15]

The Sun's columnists included prominent conservative and neoconservative pundits, including William F. Buckley, Jr., Michael Barone, Daniel Pipes, and Mark Steyn.

The Sun supported President George W. Bush and his decision to launch the Iraq War in 2003.[3] The paper also urged strong action against the perceived threat of the Islamic Republic of Iran[3] and also was known for its forceful coverage of Jewish-related issues,[16] and advocacy for Israel's right of self-defense,[3][11][16] as evidenced in articles by pro-Israel reporter Aaron Klein.

The Sun established a readership niche for itself foremost in New York. Alex Jones of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy said, "It was a newspaper especially savored by people who don't like The New York Times, and there are plenty of those in New York."[3] The paper also scored more scoops than would be expected for its size and Stephen B. Shepard, dean of the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York said that its effective coverage of local news earned it a place in the New York media world.[3] Accordingly, it was known as a good place for young, ambitious, scrappy reporters to start out.[17]

According to Scott Sherman, writing in The Nation in April 2007, The Sun was "a broadsheet that injects conservative ideology into the country's most influential philanthropic, intellectual and media hub; a paper whose day-to-day coverage of New York City emphasizes lower taxes, school vouchers and free-market solutions to urban problems; a paper whose elegant culture pages hold their own against the Times in quality and sophistication; a paper that breaks news and crusades on a single issue; a paper that functions as a journalistic SWAT team against individuals and institutions seen as hostile to Israel and Jews; and a paper that unapologetically displays the scalps of its victims."[18]

In the same article, Mark Malloch Brown, Kofi Annan's chief of staff at the United Nations, described The Sun as "a pimple on the backside of American journalism." According to Sherman, Brown "accepts that the paper's obsession with the UN translates into influence ... he admitted The Sun "does punch way above its circulation number, on occasion". He goes on to say, "Clearly amongst its minuscule circulation were a significant number of diplomats. And so it did at times act as some kind of rebel house paper inside the UN. It fed the gossip mills and what was said in the cafeterias."[18] Brown's insult was in the context of The Sun's reporting of the UN's central role in the Saddam Hussein Oil-for-Food scandal.

In May 2007, Adweek columnist Tom Messner called The Sun "the best paper in New York", noting that "The New York Sun is a conservative paper, but it gets the respect of the left. The Nation's April 30 issue contains an article on the Sun's rise by Scott Sherman that is as balanced an article as I have ever read in the magazine (not a gibe; you don't read The Nation for balance)."[19]

Catholic commentator Richard John Neuhaus, writing in First Things, described the Sun as a paper that had "made itself nearly indispensable for New Yorkers".[20]

Features

The New York Sun was particularly known for its arts coverage, for instance, breaking news of the death of Jim Gary days ahead of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other publications throughout the world.[21] The paper included pieces by such critics as Adam Kirsch on literature, Jay Nordlinger on classical music, and Joel Lobenthal on dance. Lance Esplund, Maureen Mullarkey, and David Cohen covered art, Francis Morrone art and architecture. Literature was extensively covered by Otto Penzler on mystery writing, Eric Ormsby on poetry, Carl Rollyson on biography. Amanda Gordon acted as society editor, Alan Wellikoff covered cars, and Will Friedwald wrote about jazz.

The Sun received critical praise for its sports section, writers for which included Steven Goldman, Thomas Hauser, Sean Lahman, Tim Marchman, and John Hollinger. Its crossword puzzle, edited by Peter Gordon, was called one of the two best in the United States.[22] It also published the first regular wine column in a New York newspaper, "Along the Wine Trail", written by G. Selmer Fougner.[23]

In its first edition, the paper carried the solution to the last crossword puzzle of the earlier Sun published in 1950.[6]

Financial problems, circulation, and end of print run

The Sun was started anew in 2002 in the face of a long-term decline of newspapers in the United States, loss of advertising revenue to the Internet and the rise of new media. From the beginning, it struggled for existence.[3][4][24] The Sun was the first new daily newspaper launched in New York since 1976, when News World Communications, a company controlled by the Unification Church, launched The News World (that was renamed the New York City Tribune in 1983 and folded in 1991).

At the time of its creation, one media financial analyst said the Sun's chances of survival were "pretty grim",[24] while another media commentator characterized it as "the unlikeliest of propositions".[4]

The Sun published from the Cary Building in lower Manhattan

It was underfunded from the start, with ten investors putting up a total of approximately $15 million—not enough for long-term running.[4] Beyond Conrad Black, who pulled out in 2003, these included hedge fund managers Michael Steinhardt and Bruce Kovner, private equity fund manager Thomas J. Tisch, and financier and think tank figure Roger Hertog.[25] The Sun's physical plant, in the Cary Building at Church Street and Chambers Street in Lower Manhattan, was antiquated, with malfunctioning telephones and computers, a trouble-prone elevator and fire alarm system, and dubious bathroom plumbing.[25] Nevertheless, Lipsky had hopes of breaking even within the first year of operation.[26]

The Audit Bureau of Circulations confirmed that in its first six months of publication The Sun had an average circulation of just under 18,000.[27] By 2005 the paper reported an estimated circulation of 45,000.[28] In December 2005, The Sun withdrew from the Audit Bureau of Circulations to join the Certified Audit of Circulations, whose other New York clients are the free papers The Village Voice and amNewYork, and began an aggressive campaign of free distribution in select neighborhoods.[29][30]

While The Sun claimed "150,000 of New York City's Most Influential Readers Every Day", The Sun's own audit indicated that it was selling approximately 14,000 copies a day—while giving away between 66,000 and 85,000 a day.[17][18][26] (The New York Daily News sold about 700,000 copies a day during that period.) It offered free subscriptions for a full year to residents in advertiser-desired zip codes;[18] this and other uses of controlled circulation made it more attractive to advertisers, but further diminished its chances of ever becoming profitable.[26] Similarly, The Sun's online edition was accessible for free since August 2006.[31]

The Sun acquired the web address www.LatestPolitics.com in 2007.[32]

In a letter to readers published on the front page of the September 4, 2008, edition, Lipsky announced that the paper had suffered substantial losses and would "cease publication at the end of September unless we succeed in our efforts to find additional financial backing."[33][34] In particular, the paper's existing backers would not put forward more money unless new backers with capital were found.[17] The chance that funding had of materializing was negated by the onset of the financial crisis of 2007–2008, and The Sun ceased publication on September 30, 2008.[3][5][25] It had approximately 110 employees at that time,[25] and also made use of many freelance writers.[17] Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg commented that "The Sun shone brightly, though too briefly," and that its writers were "smart, thoughtful, provocative".[25]

Online version 2009–present

Despite the closure of the newspaper, The New York Sun website renewed activity on April 28, 2009,[8][35] prompting some observers to consider the possible implications.[8][36][37] Michael Calderone of Politico quoted Lipsky as saying not to read too much into the initial items since "...a business plan for the site is still in formation," and "... these are just some very, very early bulbs of spring (or late winter)."[37]

Since that time, the web site has continued to publish editorials at irregular intervals,[38] and op-ed commentaries[39] and, frequent contributions from economist and noted television commentator Lawrence Kudlow. In addition, commentaries on the arts have been published.

CityArts

In March 2009, a group of former contributors to The Sun's arts section, including Lance Esplund, Brice Brown, Jay Nordlinger, Joel Lobenthal, and Marion Maneker, spearheaded a new paper, CityArts, published by Manhattan Media. CityArts began as a monthly arts supplement in other Manhattan Media papers (including New York Press, West Side Spirit, and Our Town), but soon changed to a stand-alone, twice-monthly free publication. A notice from 2009 claimed a distribution of 50,000 print copies.[40] The paper's contents were published online at cityarts.info.

Due to low advertising revenue, CityArts reverted to a supplement in late 2012.[41]

Controversies

Allegations published in the paper's January 9, 2008 issue, written by contributing editor Daniel Johnson about then-candidate Barack Obama and Kenya's candidate (and subsequent Prime Minister) Raila Odinga, based on what was later described as "a patently fallacious story ... or at the very least to shirk their responsibility to the truth."[42][43]

The Sun was listed as a three-time victim of plagiarism when the Indiana-based News-Sentinel announced March 1, 2008 that "20 of 38 guest columns .. contributed .. since 2000" by Bush White House staffer Timothy Goeglein were subsequently discovered to have been plagiarized; three were attributed to original articles in The Sun.[44] Goeglein resigned.[45]

gollark: It affects the brightness you see it with.
gollark: Do you know how to write to the "info box"?
gollark: It's kind of weird though. They *gain* (or at least don't lose) money if there's more demand for their laser stuff. Are they that afraid of someone misusing their laserstuff?
gollark: Ħi.
gollark: If that's not a concern, opaque ones.

See also
  •  New York City portal
  •  Journalism portal

References
  1. Leonard, Tom (September 30, 2008). "Conservative US newspaper New York Sun closes". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  2. Barron, James (September 29, 2008). "Losing Money, New York Sun Is to Shut Down". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 11, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  3. "Short of cash, 'N.Y. Sun' shutting down". USA Today. Associated Press. September 30, 2008. Archived from the original on December 8, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  4. Jeff Bercovici (November 30, 2001). "A Sun rises in New York—But will we need a flashlight to find it?". Media Life. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  5. "The Arc of the Sun". —. The New York Sun. September 30, 2008. ISBN 978-0-914381-05-1. Archived from the original on October 3, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  6. Ellilot Resnick (February 11, 2011). "Veteran Newspaperman Seth Lipsky Reminisces On His Career". The Jewish Press. p. 10.
  7. "The Seven-Year Run of the New York 'Sun'". The New Yorker. January 31, 2008. Seth Lipsky chose a bad month to find new backers ... The Web 2.0 ethos was taking hold in the newspaper world
  8. Kate Klonick (April 28, 2009). "Cheney and The New York Sun Rise Again". True/Slant. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  9. Boehlert, Eric (April 25, 2002). "The New York Sun's not-so-bright debut". Salon.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  10. All the News That's Fit to Subsidize Archived 2015-10-16 at the Wayback Machine, Seth Lipsky, The Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2009
  11. Meghan Clyne (July 19, 2004). "Bright Light in a Big City". —. National Review Online. Archived from the original on April 5, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2008.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  12. Timothy Noah (February 11, 2003). "Dissent Equals Treason". —. Slate. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2008.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  13. Eugene Volokh (February 7, 2003). "The Right to Oppose". —. National Review Online. Archived from the original on January 4, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2008.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  14. "Cheney's Chance - The New York Sun". Nysun.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  15. "'Lower the Debt Ceiling' - The New York Sun". Nysun.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  16. Nathaniel Popper (November 21, 2003). "Hollinger Woes Casting a Pall Over Future of Neocon Papers". Forward. Archived from the original (– Scholar search) on September 29, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2008. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  17. Ahrens, Frank (September 4, 2008). "Under Threat of Closing, N.Y. Sun Hunts for Capital". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  18. Sherman, Scott (2007-4-30). "Sun-rise in New York". The Nation.
  19. Tom Messner (May 14, 2007). "Art & Commerce: Volume 1, Number 1". Ad Week. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  20. Richard John Neuhaus (February 24, 2006). "RJN: 2.24.06 Adam Kirsch is books..." First Things. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  21. Miller, Stephen, Jim Gary, 66, Made Dinosaurs From Auto Parts Archived 2016-12-20 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Sun, January 17, 2006
  22. Gaffney, Matt (July 12, 2006). "The Ultimate Crossword Smackdown. Who writes better puzzles, humans or computers?". Slate. Archived from the original on October 17, 2006. Retrieved October 26, 2006.
  23. Frank J. Prial, Decantations: Reflections on Wine by the New York Times Wine Critic, St. Martin's Griffin, 2002, p. 16
  24. Larry McShane (April 14, 2002). "New York Sun will shine again". The Bryan Times. Associated Press. p. 3.
  25. "New York Sun to Shut Down". The New York Times. September 30, 2008. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015.
  26. Barron, James (September 21, 2008). "After 6 Years, N.Y. Sun Finds Itself at a Crossroads". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  27. "Sun Reports Circulation". The New York Times. December 23, 2002. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  28. "Darker cloud over the New York Sun". Media Life. May 12, 2005. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  29. "Sun Launching New Circulation Drive, Withdraws From ABC". The New York Sun. December 23, 2005. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  30. "Groundhog Day Revelation: 12 Weeks of 'Sun'". Gawker. February 2, 2006. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  31. "New York Sun Sees Light, Makes Web Free". mediabistro.com. August 8, 2006. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  32. (requires registration to access)
  33. Seth Lipsky (September 4, 2008). "The Future of the Sun". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on September 4, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2008.
  34. Perez-Pena, Richard (September 4, 2008), New York Sun May Close if Millions Aren't Found Archived 2016-12-20 at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times. Retrieved on September 4, 2008.
  35. Lipsky, Seth (April 28, 2009). "Sound Familiar?". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on June 18, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2010. Our own view is that Mr. Cheney just might have beaten Mr. Obama, ...
  36. Zachary M. Seward (April 29, 2009). "Is that the defunct New York Sun peeking over the digital horizon?". Nieman Journalism Lab. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  37. Calderone, Michael (April 29, 2009). "N.Y. Sun considers business plan for site". Politico. Arlington, VA: Robert L. Allbritton. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2010. The New York Sun, which closed up shop in September, has been publishing a bit lately online, ...
  38. "Editorials/Opinion". The New York Sun. Seth Lipsky. Archived from the original on August 17, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  39. various authors. "The New York Sun, Opinion". Seth Lipsky. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  40. Archived 2012-11-23 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 24 October 2012.
  41. Howard Mandel (September 13, 2012). "Demise — er, downsizing — of a New York City arts review". Artsjournal.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  42. Joel Whitney (August 16, 2008). "The New York Sun's Obama Frame-Up".
  43. Joel Whitney. "Obama and the Kenya Deception". Guernica Magazine. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
  44. "What Was Plagiarized". Ft. Wayne News Sentinel. News-Sentinel. March 1, 2008. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  45. James Gerstenzang (March 1, 2008). "Bush aide quits over plagiarism". The Los Angeles Times.
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