| New York Traditions Stem from The New York Times |
| Written by Jordan Rubenstein | |||
| Monday, 13 September 2010 10:41 | |||
 Historic newspaper circulates to over 1 million people
We all have our morning routines. Hit the snooze button on the alarm for an extra few minutes of sleep, take a shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast. Oftentimes, we’re tired and sluggishly go through our morning routine. Yet, in between yawns, many of us are curious what’s happening in the world around us. So we grab a newspaper and spend some of our time in the morning reading -- whether it’s at the kitchen table or during time commuting on the subway or bus. Different people have a different paper of choice. For many, they choose to spend the paper reading The New York Times. The Times is circulated to almost 1 million people daily. But even among all these readers, how many really know about the newspaper’s history? Fast forward to New Year’s Eve. Around 1 million people are crowding Times Square to celebrate as a part of a very different tradition. Rather than reading a newspaper, they’re cheering excitedly. Millions who can’t make it to Times Square are watching the celebration on TV -- the ball drop is broadcast to all of America and rebroadcast in other countries. So, where’s the link between the people quietly sitting and reading The Times and the millions watching the ball drop in Times Square? It turns out, there’s way more of a connection than you may have thought. Even the area called Times Square is named after The New York Times (previously, it was named Longacre Square). But The Times has had more of an impact than that. The paper is responsible for starting the ball drop tradition in the first place. The newspaper’s headquarters moved to 1475 Broadway, the location of the ball drop for years to come, in 1904. They celebrated their new headquarters with fireworks at midnight on January 1, 1905. In 1907, they started the tradition of lowering a lighted ball -- the tradition that has since become the most recognizable aspect of New York’s New Year’s Eve celebration. For most of the American public, the event has lost its association with The New York Times. Since they started the tradition, the newspaper has moved headquarters twice. Now, they’re located several blocks from the ball drop location, in a 52-story skyscraper across the street from the Port Authority building. The New York Times is not just the newspaper that’s won 101 Pulitzer Prizes, the newspaper with the third highest national circulation, or the largest local metropolitan newspaper in the country. It’s much more than that. It’s an important part of New York culture, and it will forever be the force behind important aspects of New York. Each year, more than 30 million people visit Times Square. Some of them marvel at the huge New York Times building as they leave the Port Authority building. Some even stand outside the building, taking pictures or looking in at the attractive lobby. But even among New York Times enthusiasts, few know the role The New York Times has had in shaping New York’s history. Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons
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