MUMBAI: USA Today, America’s second most widely read newspaper, has revealed its plan for major organisational restructuring.
The reorganisation will de-emphasize the paper‘s print brand and focus more on digital content.
Like many other print media companies, USA Today has been struggling with declining circulation and dipping revenue in today‘s increasingly digitised world. It has lost over 200,000 daily readers last year.
USA Today had an average paid circulation of 1.83 million in the six months till March last. This means that the newspaper has taken a 14 per cent dip from the same period a year ago.
Moreover, decline in advertising revenue has also impacted the paper’s circulation. Last year, USA Today’s ad revenue came down by 29 per cent. In the last three years, USA Today lost almost 500,000 subscribers.
The shift to the digital platform will result in the reduction of approximately 130 full-time employees, that accounts to a cut of 9 per cent of its 1,500 workforce.
It is said that the paper will now focus on all platforms web, mobile, iPad and other digital formats. "This significant restructuring reflects USA Today‘s evolution from a newspaper company to a multi-platform media company," said President and Publisher of USA Today David L. Hunke, in a statement.
Besides creating a new section in USA Today Sports, five new departments have been created with new executive management positions.
