USA Today

Eric Kallgren    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 9:58pm on Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

David Hunke, the new publisher of USA Today, sees a future for paid web content at the newspaper. This "shocking" news was reported by Editor & Publisher on May 1, 2009:

"Fresh from implementing a major shake-up at Detroit's two major dailies -- which cutback home delivery under his watch -- David Hunke is ready to make major changes at USA Today if need be.

Named president and publisher of the Gannett Co. flagship earlier this week, Hunke -- former CEO of the Detroit Media Partnership -- says some paid content could emerge on the USA Today Web site and he is not shy about making other innovations if they are required.

"I do have a little experience shaking things up, don’t I?" Hunke, 57, joked Thursday, two days after being named publisher. "We've got to take an immediate look at alignment, alignment of the circulation footprint creating an audience, content attracting and retaining audience, and selling advertising against that audience."

The full story:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003968197

Eric Kallgren    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 11:04pm on Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

In April 2009, John Hillkirk was promoted to editor at USA Today, moving up from his previous job as the newspaper’s executive editor. He replaced Ken Paulson, who left the paper in February.

And David Hunke was named president and publisher of USA Today. He was previously the chief executive officer at Detroit Media Partnership and publisher of the Detroit Free Press. Hunke succeeded Craig Moon, who retired on April 17.

Eric Kallgren    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 12:46pm on Monday, April 20th, 2009

USA Today advertising sales dropped like a rock in the first quarter of 2009, Gannett company CFO Gracia Martore said during an earnings call on April 16, 2009:

"National advertising was lower as well in the quarter but was slightly better in March compared to January and February. Advertising revenue was about 34% lower at U.S.A. Today. The telecom, pharmaceutical and advocacy categories were positive in the quarter although weakness in the entertainment, travel and financial categories overshadowed those gains."

Eric Kallgren    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 2:47pm on Saturday, April 4th, 2009

Craig Moon is retiring as the president and publisher of USA Today, Gannett announced on March 31, 2009:

"Craig Moon, president and publisher of USA TODAY, today said he plans to retire on April 17 after more than 23 years at Gannett. Moon also supervises USA WEEKEND, the Detroit Media Partnership, Gannett Offset and the Military Times operation.

“Craig has been a steady hand, a defender of strong journalism and a true champion of the USA TODAY brand in his six years as president and publisher of our flagship newspaper,” said Craig Dubow, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Gannett Co., Inc.(NYSE: GCI). “He has combined his love of the newspaper business with a grasp of the digital future in ways that benefited not only USA TODAY but also the entire company. We will miss his counsel and his expertise.”

Moon was named president and publisher of USA TODAY in 2003. At the time, he was executive vice president of the Newspaper Division, now U.S. Community Publishing. From 1991 until 2002, Moon was president and publisher of The Tennessean in Nashville. He also was president of the Piedmont Newspaper Group of Gannett.

He joined Gannett in 1985 as vice president/advertising of The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Cincinnati Post. He also has been president and publisher of The News-Press in Fort Myers, FL, and of the Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock.