Happy Birthday, New York Times. September 18, 1851

[Gene C]

The first edition cost one penny and lacked any imagery or color.

During a time when sensationalist journalism was commonplace in media, The Times vowed to avoid such tactics in favor of neutral, fact-based reporting.
“We do not believe that everything in Society is either exactly right or exactly wrong,” Mr. Raymond said in the introductory article of the paper’s first edition. “What is good we desire to preserve and improve; what is evil, to exterminate, or reform.”

Country musician Crystal Gayle was so upset about the changes and decline of the paper that she recorded the following song about it -
Ready For The Times to Get Better

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avAZbGW0fF0