On December 31, The New York Times says revellers in Times Square and around the world will be reminded how it shaped New Year’s Eve and how it reported on the events that shaped society.
In honour of its 175th year, The New York Times has announced it is launching a yearlong celebration to engage America around reporting’s vital place in society, beginning on New Year’s Eve.
According to the publisher, on December 31, 1904, The New York Times was about to move into a new, state-of-the-art headquarters in a part of town that had been recently renamed Times Square. Publisher Adolph Ochs wanted to celebrate his new building and the resurgent newspaper that had found success focusing on reporting “without fear or favor.” At midnight, Ochs lit up the sky with a midnight fireworks display launched from the top of The Times building that still stands as One Times Square. Three years later the fireworks were replaced by an electrified orb. It became an instant tradition.
This December, The Times says it is returning to that setting to celebrate the interwoven history between The Times and New Year’s Eve and also to acknowledge 175 years of first-hand, fact-based reporting.
The Times’s anniversary will be a yearlong reflection on the impact and value of independent reporting, past, present and future. Throughout 2026, the publisher says it will publish special features, host events and launch company initiatives that will emphasize how essential independent reporting is to our society, particularly when it is increasingly coming under attack.
It all begins December 31, when the world gathers in Times Square for one of the most-watched annual celebrations. During the Times Square New Year’s Eve broadcast, publisher AG Sulzberger will share a video featuring snippets of reporting over time and the publisher’s history with New Year’s Eve.
Keep up-to-date with publishing news: sign up here for InPubWeekly, our free weekly e-newsletter.
