USA Today Gets "Radical" Over iPad

[Michael Essany]

Although no one has yet officially pronounced the publishing industry dead, it's a safe observation to make that it certainly is on life support at the moment. Warding off the complete dissolution of the newspaper business, however, are mobile devices like the iPad which have suddenly sparked renewed interest in reading among other data consumption activities that naturally go hand-in-hand with owning a tablet computer.

Since the iPad's arrival, myriad national and large-market publications have scrambled to make their offerings an appropriate digital fit for the revolutionary Apple tablet. Now comes word that one of the biggest and most prominent national publications in America - USA Today - is taking outright "radical" steps to become the iPad's top publication.

In case you missed it late this week, the Associated Press reported that USA Today is undergoing an enormous restructuring. It's a process that will see significant job cuts and department shake-ups, the overall goal of which is to focus more heavily on the publication's digital output for mobile devices, but particularly for the iPad. A bold promise to focus "less on print" is a revelation in the newspaper business among such giants. But, as USA Today Editor John Hillkirk said, "We have to go where the audience is. If people are hitting the iPad like crazy, or the iPhone or other mobile devices, we've got to be there with the content they want, when they want it."

To read the rest of the AP report, click here.

Associated Press

[soulthoughts]

Good news. I've always likes their sports section and their app is pretty well made.

[suade8880]

Again, Apple or any other technology related to it is shaking things up in the industry. Make the changes and adapt to it or be demised. Scary.

[friscosooner]

On the downside, it's very expensive to put an iPad in the bottom of your birdcage every few days.

[Wilbourn]

So thats why USA Today still hasn't updated their app for the iPhone 4 screen, iOS4.0 in general and STILL can't read articles in landscape or archive articles for later use....If your going to switch your focus from print news to mainly web based publication specifically aimed for the iPhone and iPad a good way to start would to bring your existing app up to date. If your gonna switch your focus to all web based and let go of some people in the switch, you might want to include your marketing department in the layoffs because good job building up your image and stand out among your peers before as you move your entire business focus into a new medium.

[zozodouce]

newspapers was always dead for me.i have never buy a newspaper yet,all you have to do if want to read a newspaper is wait for someone to finish reading one lol.

[skblut]

This is good news for us who use an ipad .I enjoy reading media on it very much !

[awesomeo4000]

This is stupid. Regardless of how many people want an iPad, it is a fact that far less than 0.1% of the world's population owns one. I'd say its ridiculous to say that newspapers are already on their deathbed.

[endwaro]

This is stupid. Regardless of how many people want an iPad, it is a fact that far less than 0.1% of the world's population owns one. I'd say its ridiculous to say that newspapers are already on their deathbed.

Your right I have gone to Guatemala in central America and over there they don't even sell the iPad and people there most of the population don't have Internet in there house. Over there most of the population use news paper. Yes I do believe that in the us newspaper is dying. For me it died long time ago cause I look up stuff online but in most countries in the world they still use newspapers.

[Bluemoldycheeze88]

USA Today has a great sports section.. Can't wait for their new app release.

[turdsmoka]

I like Slate and Pulse, anyone else doing a good job with news?

[mortopher]

Your right I have gone to Guatemala in central America and over there they don't even sell the iPad and people there most of the population don't have Internet in there house. Over there most of the population use news paper. Yes I do believe that in the us newspaper is dying. For me it died long time ago cause I look up stuff online but in most countries in the world they still use newspapers.

And when Guatemala has the spending power of the united states, they will influence companies like USA Today.

[turdsmoka]

=I'd say its ridiculous to say that newspapers are already on their deathbed.

Deathbed isn't dramatic enough, as far as I'm concerned. What passes for news now is ridiculous and it has a lot to do with the medias inability to investigate and their simply rewriting of the talking points they receive in press releases.

[Bluprint]

iPad are cool and cell phones are resourceful and everything is on-the-go but let's be honest, you can't go through an entire article before irritating your mind and eyes.

[macsoldier]

They had no choice, same goes for our post offices/mail services

[Pronup]

I think it's a bold move by USA Today and I think it will payoff! I haven't picked up a physical paper or magazine in a while! I always have my iPhone or iPad with me. Even the magazines that I have subscriptions to, I just toss in the trash and use the digital version.

The addition of the crossword game to the iPad USA Today app is great and really holds true the paper copies. I love playing it!