Joseph Medill Patterson, born on January 6, 1879, was a highly influential American journalist and publisher. He is most widely recognized as the founder of the New York Daily News, a publication that would grow to become a dominant force in American print media during the first half of the twentieth century.\n\nThroughout his career in journalism and publishing, Patterson focused on building the reach and influence of his newspaper. His efforts proved extraordinarily successful; by the time of his death on May 26, 1946, the New York Daily News had achieved a Sunday circulation of 4.5 million copies. This historic figure represented the largest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, securing Patterson's enduring legacy in the history of American journalism.
