The Nation’s Newspaper (USA Today nickname)

USA Today is a national newspaper that was founded by Al Neuharth (1924-2013) of the Gannett Company on September 15, 1982. “USA Today will reach out to become the nation’s newspaper” was said by Neuharth in a newspaper article published on December 18, 1981. USA Today advertised itself as “The Nation’s Newspaper"on September 8, 1982. “The Nation’s Newspaper” was trademarked with a first use of September 15, 1982.
 
   
Wikipedia: USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it had previously held since 2003. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the paper has 1.8 million copies as of March 2012 compared with The Wall Street Journal‘s 2.1 million though this figure includes the WSJ’s 400,000 paid-for, online subscribers. USA Today remains the widest circulated print newspaper in the United States. USA Today is distributed in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada and the United Kingdom. The newspaper has its headquarters in the Tysons Corner area of Fairfax County, Virginia. USA Today sells for US $2 in newsstands, although it is often found free at hotels and airports that distribute it to their customers.
       
16 December 1981, Rockford (IL) Register Star “Gannett Co. plans nationwide paper” by Tony Mauro (Gannett News Service), pg. D6, col. 2:
WASHINGTON—Gannett COmpany Inc. announced plans Tuesday for publication of the nation’s first general-interest, coast-to-coast daily newspaper, to start next fall.
 
Allen H. Neuharth, Gannett chairman and president, told a gathering of 300 of the company’s top executives here of the unanimous approval of the board of directors for the planned newspaper, to be called “USA Today.”
 
“USA Today will reach out to become the nation’s newspaper,” said Neuharth.
 
8 September 1982, Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch, pg. B-4, col. 1 ad:
Introducing USA TODAY. The Nation’s Newspaper.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
“USA Today”: Can the Nation’s Newspaper Survive?
Author: Robert H Wicks
Publisher: 1985-08-06
Edition/Format: Book Book : English
Database: ERIC The ERIC database is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education.
Summary:
The failure of 17 newspaper markets between 1957 and 1975 raises the question of whether the 1982 entrance of “USA Today” into the newspaper market demonstrated fiscal prudence. A 20-month advertising content analysis was conducted to assess advertising trends in “USA Today.” These data were compared with industry statistics obtained from Media Records Data. The findings indicated that “USA Today” has outperformed expectations on certain fronts, while failing on others. Although the paper has attracted a small but educated and affluent readership, the media director of one advertising agency believes that the succinct writing and color graphics style of “USA Today” has caused an advertising identity problem, since the paper cannot be neatly categorized. Many advertising industry executives view the publication as a combination newspaper, magazine, traveler’s digest, and surrogate for the evening news. The benefits of differentiation from mass audience newspapers may therefore be lost in the confusion of accurately defining the precise role of “USA Today” within the advertising and media communities. Despite these concerns, analyses reveal a highly stable pattern of advertiser support, and an impressive list of corporations committed to future advertising. If “USA Today” is able to continue its circulation increase pattern and, specifically, increase home and office delivery readership, it will become very difficult to ignore it as an advertising vehicle. (HTH)
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Deadline U.S.A. USA Today dubs itself the nation’s newspaper. But the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times want that title too
Author: N Stein
Edition/Format: Article Article : English
Publication: FORTUNE -EUROPEAN EDITION- 146, Part 1 (July 8, 2002): 66-77
Database: British Library Serials
 
Twitter
Kyle Rohde
‏@KyleRohde
Really @usatoday, this is worth including in “the nation’s newspaper”?? pic.twitter.com/6moqlkOW
from Kaw, MO
11:04 AM - 10 Dec 2012
 
Twitter
Chase’s Calendar
‏@ChasesCalendar
@usatoday USA Today—the “Nation’s Newspaper”—was first published Sept 15, 1982. #TDiH
11:05 AM - 15 Sep 2013
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark THE NATION’S NEWSPAPER
Goods and Services IC 016. US 038. G & S: DAILY NEWSPAPERS CONTAINING NEWS OF GENERAL INTEREST. FIRST USE: 19820915. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19820915
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 73523573
Filing Date February 22, 1985
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition April 8, 1986
Registration Number 1399353
Registration Date July 1, 1986
Owner (REGISTRANT) GANNETT CO., INC. CORPORATION DELAWARE 1100 WILSON BLVD. ARLINGTON VIRGINIA 22209
(LAST LISTED OWNER) GANNETT SATELLITE INFORMATION NETWORK, INC. CORPORATION DELAWARE 7950 JONES BRANCH DRIVE MCLEAN VIRGINIA 22107
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Peter J. Willsey
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “NEWSPAPER” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL-2(F)
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20060916.
Renewal 1ST RENEWAL 20060916
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE