USA Today is an internationally distributed American daily
middle-market newspaper that is the flagship publication of its owner,
Gannett. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, it operates
from Gannett's corporate headquarters in McLean, Virginia. It is
printed at 37 sites across the United States and at five additional
sites internationally. Its dynamic design influenced the style of
local, regional, and national newspapers worldwide through its use of
concise reports, colorized images, informational graphics, and
inclusion of popular culture stories, among other distinct
features.With a weekly print circulation of 726,906, a digital only
subscriber base of 504,000, and an approximate daily readership of 2.6
million, USA Today is ranked first by circulation on the list of
newspapers in the United States. It has been shown to maintain a
generally centrist audience, in regards to political persuasion. USA
Today is distributed in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto
Rico, and an international edition is distributed in Asia, Canada,
Europe, and the Pacific Islands.The genesis of USA Today was on
February 29, 1980, when a company task force known as "Project NN" met
with Gannett chairman Al Neuharth in Cocoa Beach, Florida to develop a
national newspaper. Early regional prototypes included East Bay Today,
an Oakland, California-based publication published in the late 1970s
to serve as the morning edition of the Oakland Tribune, an afternoon
newspaper which Gannett owned at the time. On June 11, 1981, Gannett
printed the first prototypes of the proposed publication. The two
proposed design layouts were mailed to newsmakers and prominent
leaders in journalism, for review and feedback. Gannett's board of
directors approved the launch of the national newspaper, titled USA
Today, on December 5, 1981. At launch, Neuharth was appointed
president and publisher of the newspaper, adding those
responsibilities to his existing position as Gannett's chief executive
officer.
middle-market newspaper that is the flagship publication of its owner,
Gannett. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, it operates
from Gannett's corporate headquarters in McLean, Virginia. It is
printed at 37 sites across the United States and at five additional
sites internationally. Its dynamic design influenced the style of
local, regional, and national newspapers worldwide through its use of
concise reports, colorized images, informational graphics, and
inclusion of popular culture stories, among other distinct
features.With a weekly print circulation of 726,906, a digital only
subscriber base of 504,000, and an approximate daily readership of 2.6
million, USA Today is ranked first by circulation on the list of
newspapers in the United States. It has been shown to maintain a
generally centrist audience, in regards to political persuasion. USA
Today is distributed in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto
Rico, and an international edition is distributed in Asia, Canada,
Europe, and the Pacific Islands.The genesis of USA Today was on
February 29, 1980, when a company task force known as "Project NN" met
with Gannett chairman Al Neuharth in Cocoa Beach, Florida to develop a
national newspaper. Early regional prototypes included East Bay Today,
an Oakland, California-based publication published in the late 1970s
to serve as the morning edition of the Oakland Tribune, an afternoon
newspaper which Gannett owned at the time. On June 11, 1981, Gannett
printed the first prototypes of the proposed publication. The two
proposed design layouts were mailed to newsmakers and prominent
leaders in journalism, for review and feedback. Gannett's board of
directors approved the launch of the national newspaper, titled USA
Today, on December 5, 1981. At launch, Neuharth was appointed
president and publisher of the newspaper, adding those
responsibilities to his existing position as Gannett's chief executive
officer.
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