1100 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22234
703/284-6000
http://www.usatoday.com
USAToday.com is all about fast, fresh news. The Web version of the national newspaper focuses on bringing its readers frequent updates on breaking stories. Like most online
companions to major dailies, the site gets most of its news from the print publication. USAToday.com editors do fill in holes and update stories from the paper, but a variety of
sections produce original content designed to play to the Web reader. The site boasts 10.3 million unique users per month and readers average 57.6 minutes a month and 38.1 page
views per visit.
Content/Contacts
Much of the original content on the site crops up in the Tech editorial section, which covers everything from the latest high-tech products to Web sites to Wall Street. In the
sports section, fantasy columns are a hit with readers, and the Life section titillates with celebrity foibles du jour.
News: Phil Pruitt, Section Editor, [email protected];
Sports: Gary Kicinski, Section Editor, [email protected]
Life: Ayesha Court, Section Editor, [email protected];
Money: Ray Goldbacher, Section Editor, [email protected];
Tech: Sam Meddis, Section Editor, [email protected],
Chet Czarniak, Managing Editor, [email protected]
Pitch Tips
Email is the best way to reach USAToday.com editors. "We tend to read [email] and react to it," says Chet Czarniak, managing editor. "If you don't hear back from us, we've
either decided not to use it or passed it along to the newspaper reporters." Pesky follow-ups after emailing a release are unnecessary - and generally get you nowhere.
Another taboo: trying to sneak around USA Today reporters by going to the editors at the Web site. "If a PR person has a relationship with an editor at the newspaper
and [the newspaper editor] says no, don't come to us and think we're going to do it," warns Czarniak. "In most cases the folks who do the work for the content are at USA
Today. If the decision is made at that level, it's not going to do a whole lot of good --and it doesn't look good for the PR agent."
Comments
The Tech section is a big draw for USAToday.com, one of the few sites that have staff devoted solely to new technology, according to Czarniak. Take a good look at the section
and its regular columnists for pitching possibilities.
Also, while editors are adamant about PR pros respecting the relationship between newspaper reporters and Web editors, there may be times that a story fits better on the Web.
"Something with graphics or more multi-media possibilities might be of more value to us," Czarniak says. His advice: if a newspaper reporter nixes your pitch, politely ask if
there's a possibility it would work well for the Web site.
In the Pipeline
The News section is heavily focusing on Census material. "It's been a big initiative for the newspaper, and it's big for us," Czarniak says.
In Money, editors are looking to broaden coverage for individual investors. Pitch personal finance stories. Sports Editors are looking for stories to beef up their fantasy
offerings and Web readers tend to love statistics. The Life section is focusing on travel, both leisure and business. It continues to cover celebrities heavily--whether in Tinsel
Town or part of your PR campaign. In Tech, editors want stories on someone using the Web in a different way, as well as tips on hardware and software stories.