New York Record

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The Tenth Doctor holds a copy of the New York Record. (TV: Daleks in Manhattan)

The New York Record was a New York City daily newspaper. On 1 November 1930 it reported on the mystery of men missing from the city's Hooverville. (TV: Daleks in Manhattan)

In 2012, Amy Pond read an issue of the newspaper while visiting the city with the Eleventh Doctor and Rory Williams. The headline reported that the Detroit Lions won the Superbowl. (TV: The Angels Take Manhattan)

Articles

Saturday November 1st 1930

Beyond the reports below, the front page of the paper had at least one further story: "Panama Canal runs dry?".

Hooverville mystery deepens

The paper's main story was on reports of disappearances form the city's Hooverville, as quoted below. (TV: Daleks in Manhattan)

-As reports of disappearances from the city's Hoovervilles flood in, should there be cause for alarm, or is this an elaborate hoax aimed at the city's municipal government?
City officials have dismissed claims that New Yorkers are being abducted from the cities' Hoovervilles, as 'scare mongering and an attempt to shame the government into pouring money into the welfare system.'
The Mayor refused to comment but his deputy Howard Tibello is quoted as saying 'If a party of cranks believe that instilling fear into the hearts of New Yorkers' will in any way help a city that is already on its knees, then there's even less hope for this state's recovery than I'd hoped.'
Tibello's critics are appalled at his cynicism and call for the threat to be taken seriously. Others claim that although reports of disappearances may be valid, they can be accounted for by misunderstandings and lack of communication, and as such there is no cause for alarm.
Michael Warner of the Central employment bureau told us that New Yorkers' have been leaving in their droves to search for work outside the city boundary. He believes recorded numbers are merely the tip of the iceberg, the true number of those abandoning New York being impossible to calculate.
See the behind the scenes section for further information.

Fighting to provide - desperation reaches an all time high on the city's bread lines

The Record reported on controversy surrounding welfare, focusing on the mothers' pension. (TV: Daleks in Manhattan)

Scuffles have broken out at many of the cities bread lines and soup kitchens, over the alleged unfair allocation of welfare and provisions.
Some claim that those in receipt of a 'mothers pension' should not be taking food out of the mouths of people whose only form of welfare is the bread line. It is claimed that the system discriminates unfairly against those women who are divorced, deserted or in minority groups.
The tragedy is that many of the men who have deserted their wives, leaving them ineligible for the mothers pension, only did so out of desperation at their failure to provide.
The municipal government assert that they are handing out as much welfare as the city can reasonably afford, although social campaigners claim their pockets could be deeper.
See the behind the scenes section for further information.

Railroad profits run out of track

The New York Record reported on a predicted downturn in profits for the North Western railway. (TV: Daleks in Manhattan)

After a steady increase in railroad profits, improving year on year whilst other industries have suffered, this months report for the North Western railway shows a steep drop in profits. Business forecasters are predicting a gain next month, but some are more sceptical claiming this is the beginning of a downturn rather than an isolated drop in profits.

Behind the scenes

The New York Record is not a real newspaper. Although the edition Martha Jones reads is explicitly dated, the one that Amy Pond reads is not. This allows for the possibility that Amy is not reading a 2012 edition at all, even though the Doctor does specifically state that they are in 2012 New York.

In the real world, the Superbowl headline would be out of place for several reasons. The Superbowl is played at the end of the NFL season, generally the first or second weekend of February, which is winter in New York. The appearance of Central Park in the episode clearly suggests it is spring at the time. Also, as of 2013, the Detroit Lions of the National Football League have never appeared in the Superbowl.

Illegible articles

While the majority of the front page featured in Deleks in Manhattan remains unseen or illegible, the complete front page of the paper was uploaded as a graphic to the Series 4 version of the Doctor Who website.[1]

The image shows a series of headlines and articles which never made it into the final episode. These are detailed below.

Hooverville mystery deepens (continued)

Most likely due to the knowledge that very little of the paper would be seen on screen, production staff chose to repeat the text of the main story nearly three times to fill the page.

The article below is a continuation of the above.

It is highly conceivable that many of these voluntary moves could have been misinterpreted as disappearances.
Sources from within the Hooverville camps themselves refuse this theory however, saying that attributing disappearances to 'lack of communication' is an insult to the communities that are struggling to survive. Edwin Summerville, who runs the soup Kitchen off 24th Street spoke to us yesterday and stated that 'poverty has not stopped people looking out for one another; if anything it has strengthened their community spirit. All this talk of misunderstandings is just a convenient way for officials to ignore the fact that the disappearances are all too real.'
As yet no one has witnessed a moment of abduction, but reports of unearthly sounds have been made around the time of these disappearances. So amidst all the speculation, the questions remain: where are these people going, and if they're not leaving of their own free will, then who is taking them?

Fighting to provide - desperation reaches an all time high on the city's bread lines (continued)

Similar to Hooverville mystery deepens, production staff chose to repeat the first two paragraphs of this article following the below paragraph in order to fill the page.

The article below is a continuation of the above.

Such government protestations however, can do little to comfort those mothers waiting in line for a meagre loaf to feed their families.

Panama Canal runs dry?

An article of which only the headline features in Deleks in Manhattan, concerning how drought might affect the Panama Canal.

Environmental forecasters are predicting the need for additional water storage to meet the traffic demands of the Panama Canal.
The dry cycle that started last year is showing little sign of abating, causing concern for those handling the canals hydrographics.

Times Square Prepares

An article not shown in Deleks in Manhattan. The positioning of this article would place it on the reverse side of the folded paper. The article discusses public opinion surrounding New York's controversial New Year's Eve celebrations set for 31st December 1930.

Preparations are already in place for this year's New Year celebrations, as Times Square looks to attract record numbers to its midnight extravaganza next month.
City authorities are hoping to alleviate some of the pressure that New Yorkers are facing this winter, by offering a 31st of December celebration complete with fireworks and music.
It is expected that thousands of New York natives, as well as those from further afield, will attend the annual event which has grown a reputation for being 'the swingingest party in town', not least because of the appearance of Duke Ellington at last year's event.
Some have asked questions however, of the relevance of this extravagance when people are struggling to survive on the streets of the city. Manhattan native, Eddie Cerrone told us what he thought of the plans. "It's crazy, you know. People are starving to death, camped out like dogs at the Hooverville and they think that a few Honkey Lighters are going to make things better!? It's a joke!"
Mayor of New York, John Walker, said in defence of the celebrations however, "At this {article ends}

Britain gains in foreign loans.

Another article which never appears on-screen in Deleks in Manhattan. Similar to Hooverville mystery deepens, production staff followed the final paragraph below by repeating the second paragraph in order to fill the page. This article concerns the falling value of the dollar against foreign currencies such as the pound.

The USA is struggling to hold its own in the foreign loans trade, or so the latest financial reports commissioned by Washington would have us believe.
As the pound continues to strengthen against the dollar, American banks are battling to overcome the losses that began in October of last year. The financial sector is confident that economic stability can be restored, but the process is taking far longer than anticipated. In the meantime there is nothing to be done but sit and watch the gains of other nations, as the USA slowly claws back its world economic status.
The financial sector is confident that economic stability can be restored, but the process is taking far longer than anticipated.

Decline in building standards

A further article which never features in Deleks in Manhattan. Production staff again followed the final paragraph below by repeating the second paragraph in order to fill the page. This article is regarding a decline in lowrise construction standards.

Failure to meet targets set by the 1929 construction standard report.
As the skyline of New York is punctuated by ever higher and more spectacular constructions, the standard of lowrise building across the country's major cities is struggling to keep up with its taller relatives.
As the latest reports of 1930 are held up to those of 1929, it's clear that the targets for improvement in building conditions have yet to be met.
The effects of stock decline can not be ignored, as the industry struggles to uphold standards and make progress through the slump.
As well as a decline in standards, it is estimated that an annual production drop of 30% will be seen by the end of the year.

Mariella's

A short article never shown in Deleks in Manhattan regarding the opening of a New York establishment.

Everyone who's anyone in New York society will be at the opening of Mariella's this Saturday evening. Situated just off Broadway, on West 34th Street, Mariella's combines sophisticated décor with top class entertainment and a guest list to rival a Hollywood premier.
Rising star Loretta Young is rumoured to be attending the opening, along with Claudette Colbert, who'll be returning to her spiritual home of Broadway for the occasion.

City Governor in show girl scandal

A final article which never appears in Deleks in Manhattan . The article concerns allegations of a New York official's affair with a young show girl.

Alfred Friedland denies any suggestion that he has been conducting an affair with one of Broadway's most successful leading ladys' Eleanor Jay.
His wife is said to be distraught at suggestions that Friedland has been seeing the 21 year old show girl for four months.
Friedland maintains that Jay's claim to be carrying his child is nothing more than an elaborate smear campaign planned by his opponents, to discredit him before the forthcoming local elections.

Footnotes

  1. BBC (2014). Episode 4: Daleks in Manhattan Image: New York Record (view graphics tab). DoctorWho. Retrieved on 07 October 2019.