New York

New York City is the self-described “capital of the world” and arguably the capital of U.S. journalism and mass media. The nation's largest market, it is host to the major U.S. television networks, various cable channels, and conglomerates like AOL/Time Warner, Viacom, News Corp., and the Hearst Corporation. Much of the book publishing industry, more than 200 newspapers, and over 350 magazines have offices in New York. Major magazine publishers include Condé Nast and Time, Inc. Major book publishers include Penguin, Simon and Schuster, and Random House. New York is home to the Associated Press headquarters, a significant film industry, and large recording companies, radio operations, and other media as well as the biggest advertising and public relations firms. Four of the top ten circulation newspapers in the United States are found in New York City. It is the site of elite and influential newspapers such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. It has also hosted major alternative media, from The Masses to the Village Voice. It is home to a diverse foreign-language press including the oldest Spanish- and Russian-language newspapers in the United States. Major world news media keep bureaus in New York, increasing its profile in the international news flow.

The key to understanding New York's position is in its history. The city's rise as a center of journalism and mass media was connected to its rise as a commercial and financial center, the growth of New York as a major metropolis in a growing world power, and then its prominence on the international stage as the seat of the United Nations and many foreign consulates. Thus, the city has grown to become a political as well as business and cultural center. It is also noteworthy as a site of news production and dissemination. It is the largest media market in the largest national economy in the world. Its impact on journalism has been so substantial that it is difficult to separate the history of American journalism from that of New York journalism.