With Staff Cuts, USA Today Looks to Tomorrow

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeAnother 130 positions will be slashed from the business and editorial side this fall at Gannett Co.'s USA Today, a 9 percent reduction of the McLean, Va.-based daily's 1,500-member work force, according to an Associated Press story.

The AP account says USA Today, the nation's second largest newspaper after The Wall St. Journal, will shift its emphasis from its print edition to platforms including mobile devices, IPads, the Internet, and other digital forums. The re-organization will involve creating "content rings," including USA Today Sports, Breaking News, Your Life, Travel, Investigative, Tech, Personal Finance, Washington/Economy, National, World, Aviation, Autos, Entertainment and Environment/Science.

Gannett Co.'s stock has plunged nearly 80 percent over the past four years as circulation of its flagship daily has declined to an average 1.83 million compared to 2.3 million in 2007. Ad pages are off nearly 50 percent from four years ago.(See "TUOL" posts 6/24/10 & 2/12/10.)

On the positive side, the thinner USA Today slips more easily under chain hotel guest room doors nowadays.