USA Today Co.
An American mass-media holding company and one of the largest publishers of daily newspapers in the United States.
Last updated October 26, 2026
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Overview
USA Today Co., Inc., formerly known as Gannett, is an American mass-media holding company headquartered in New York City. Its principal business is newspaper publishing, including the national newspaper USA Today and a large portfolio of local and regional titles. The company is widely described as the largest newspaper publisher in the United States by total daily circulation. The business traces its origins to a newspaper enterprise established by Frank Gannett in Elmira, New York, in 1906. Gannett formally organized the company in 1923 and built it through the acquisition and development of independent newspapers. This acquisition-led strategy reflected a broader twentieth-century trend in which regional newspaper chains sought economies of scale in printing, distribution, advertising, and administration while retaining local editorial identities. Under leaders including Paul Miller and Al Neuharth, the company expanded beyond its Rochester base and developed a substantial Florida presence. One important example was the launch of Today in Cocoa, later Florida Today, which achieved profitability within several years. Gannett also broadened its media interests through the 1978 acquisition of Combined Communications, adding major newspapers, television stations, radio stations, and outdoor advertising operations. The national USA Today newspaper was announced in 1982 and began publication that September, establishing a nationally distributed title with a distinctive visual format and broad general-news orientation. During the 1980s and 1990s, Gannett moved its headquarters from Rochester to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and pursued both newspaper and television production activities. It later invested in digital publishing, multimedia journalism, online classified businesses, and audience-subscription systems. Beginning in 2005, the Fort Myers News-Press helped pioneer the company’s mobile multimedia journalist, or “mojo,” model, in which reporters gather text, photographs, audio, and video outside traditional newsroom structures. As print advertising and circulation faced long-term digital disruption, the company underwent major restructuring. In 2015, the original Gannett company was split into a broadcasting and digital company (which became Tegna) and a publishing company that retained the Gannett name. The publishing company then expanded through the acquisition of Journal Media Group. In 2019, New Media Investment Group acquired Gannett and merged it with GateHouse Media. Mike Reed became chief executive officer of the enlarged organization. In November 2025, the company announced a rename from Gannett to USA Today Co.; the rebranding was reported as effective November 18, 2025. The new corporate identity emphasizes the USA Today brand while the company continues to operate a broad range of national, metropolitan, and community publications. Its operations span print newspapers, digital news websites, advertising, subscriptions, events, and related audience and marketing services. Its portfolio includes USA Today as well as titles such as the Detroit Free Press, The Indianapolis Star, The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Columbus Dispatch, The Tennessean, The Arizona Republic, The Des Moines Register, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and The Courier-Journal.
History
USA Today Co. developed from a newspaper business begun by Frank Gannett in Elmira, New York, in 1906. Gannett organized the company in 1923 and expanded by acquiring small independent newspapers. The company’s early growth followed a chain-publishing model that combined local titles with centralized capabilities in printing, management, distribution, and advertising. Paul Miller succeeded Frank Gannett as president and chief executive officer in 1957. During the following decade, the company increased its presence in Florida. Al Neuharth, who had joined the organization after working at the Miami Herald, became an important figure in this expansion. Gannett acquired the Cocoa Tribune in 1965, later purchased the Titusville Star Advocate, and launched Today in Cocoa. The publication eventually became Florida Today and reached profitability after an initially rapid circulation build-up. Neuharth succeeded Miller as chief executive officer in 1973. Gannett expanded its media portfolio in 1978 through the acquisition of Combined Communications Corporation. The transaction added newspapers including the Oakland Tribune and The Cincinnati Enquirer, television and radio stations, and an outdoor-advertising operation. The company also pursued television production and news programming partnerships during the 1980s. Its most consequential publishing initiative was USA Today, announced in April 1982 and launched in September of that year in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., metropolitan areas. The national newspaper used strong color, concise presentation, and broad coverage to appeal to a mass audience. John Curley became president and chief operating officer in 1984 and chief executive officer in 1985. In 1986, Gannett moved its headquarters from Rochester to Arlington County, Virginia. Douglas H. McCorkindale later succeeded Curley as chief executive officer in 2000 and chairman in 2001, when the headquarters moved to Tysons Corner, Virginia. The company experimented with new formats and digital workflows as the newspaper sector changed. Beginning in 2005, the Fort Myers News-Press developed the “mojo” model of mobile multimedia journalists, who produced text, photographs, audio, and video from within local communities. Gannett also introduced a new corporate logo and tagline in 2011 and announced a paywall program for many newspaper websites in 2012, while USA Today’s website remained an exception to the standard limited-access arrangement at that time. Gannett continued to expand its broadcasting operations in the early 2010s. It acquired Belo Corporation in 2013 after regulatory review and required divestiture arrangements, and acquired six stations from London Broadcasting Company in 2014. These transactions increased the scale of its television portfolio, but the company soon reorganized its overall structure. In 2015, the broadcasting and digital operations became Tegna, while the publishing business retained the Gannett name. The publishing company then acquired Journal Media Group in 2015, adding newspapers across more than one hundred Midwestern and Southern markets. In 2019, New Media Investment Group acquired Gannett and merged it with GateHouse Media. Mike Reed was named chief executive officer. The enlarged company operated a national newspaper, numerous local publications, and digital products in a market characterized by declining print advertising, changing consumer habits, and increased reliance on digital subscriptions and audience services. In November 2025, the company announced a corporate rename to USA Today Co., aligning the holding-company identity more closely with its best-known national newspaper brand.
- 2025
Corporate rename to USA Today Co.
[1]The company announced a rename from Gannett to USA Today Co., reported as effective November 18, 2025.
- 2019
New Media Investment Group combines with Gannett
[1]New Media Investment Group acquired Gannett and combined it with GateHouse Media.
- 2015
Publishing and broadcasting split
[1]The broadcasting and digital operations became Tegna, while the spun-off publishing company retained the Gannett name.
- 2013
Belo acquisition
[1]Gannett acquired Belo Corporation after regulatory conditions that included the divestiture of KMOV in St. Louis.
- 2005
Mobile multimedia journalist model begins
[1]The Fort Myers News-Press pioneered Gannett’s mobile multimedia journalist approach to community reporting.
- 1982
USA Today launches
[1]Gannett introduced USA Today as a nationally distributed newspaper, with initial publication beginning in September.
- 1978
Combined Communications acquisition
[1]Gannett acquired Combined Communications, adding newspapers, television and radio stations, and outdoor advertising operations.
- 1965
Gannett acquires the Cocoa Tribune
[1]The acquisition strengthened Gannett’s Florida expansion and preceded the development of Today in Cocoa, later Florida Today.
- 1923
Gannett Company is organized
[1]Frank Gannett formally organized the newspaper company that carried his name.
- 1906
Frank Gannett begins a newspaper business in Elmira
[1]The enterprise that eventually developed into the Gannett newspaper group began in Elmira, New York.
Products and positioning
A large-scale American news publisher combining a nationally recognized general-news brand with an extensive network of local newspapers and digital products.
National newspaper · 1982
USA Today
The company’s flagship national newspaper, launched in 1982. USA Today is designed for broad national readership and is known for accessible general-news coverage, concise presentation, strong visual treatment, and distribution across print and digital channels.
Local and regional newspapers
Local newspaper portfolio
A network of metropolitan, regional, and community newspapers serving markets across the United States. Titles include the Detroit Free Press, The Indianapolis Star, The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Columbus Dispatch, The Tennessean, The Arizona Republic, The Des Moines Register, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Digital media · 2012
Digital news and subscription services
Digital editions, news websites, mobile products, and subscription-access services supporting the company’s national and local publications. Gannett introduced varying forms of metered access and paywalls across many newspaper websites during the 2010s.
Controversies
2020
Gannett condemns Tennessean ad and apologizes to readers
After The Tennessean published a full-page advertisement claiming that Islam would detonate a nuclear device in Nashville, Gannett chief revenue officer Kevin Gentzel said the ad did not meet the paper's standards against hate speech and should have been rejected. He condemned the message, apologized to readers, and said the company was investigating how it happened.
2020
Tulsa police major sues media companies
In September 2020, Tulsa police major Travis Yates filed a lawsuit against Comcast, Gannett, Public Radio Tulsa, Gatehouse Media and other media companies. According to the reporting, the suit alleged that their coverage of his controversial comments on race and policing portrayed him in a "false light." The dispute centered on how the outlets characterized his remarks. The available account does not specify the relief sought, the court's handling of the case, or any resolution. The event is noted in connection with USA Today Co. because Gannett, one of the named defendants, is part of that company.
Brand decisions
2019
Combine Gannett with GateHouse MediaM&ABackground
New Media Investment Group sought to combine its GateHouse newspaper operations with Gannett to create a larger publishing network.
Action taken
New Media Investment Group acquired Gannett and merged the businesses, retaining the Gannett name for the combined newspaper publisher.
Aftermath
The transaction created what was described as the largest newspaper publisher in the United States, with Mike Reed becoming chief executive officer.
2015
Separate publishing from broadcasting and digital operationsStrategyBackground
Gannett operated newspapers alongside television and digital businesses, but the businesses faced different competitive conditions and investment priorities.
Action taken
The company separated its publishing operations from its broadcasting and digital operations. The broadcasting company became Tegna, while the publishing company continued as Gannett.
Aftermath
The restructuring created two independently traded media companies and left Gannett focused on newspaper publishing.
Recent events
Phillips Media to acquire the Baxter Bulletin[4]
Reported:
Phillips Media purchased the Baxter Bulletin from Gannett; the sale was announced and was scheduled to close on September 1.
- Unconfirmed
Tulsa police major sues media companies[3]
Reported:
Tulsa police major Travis Yates filed a lawsuit against Comcast, Gannett, Public Radio Tulsa, Gatehouse Media and others, alleging that their reports portrayed him in a “false light.”
Gannett condemns Tennessean ad and apologizes to readers[2]
Reported:
After The Tennessean published a full-page advertisement claiming that Islam would detonate a nuclear device in Nashville, Gannett chief revenue officer Kevin Gentzel said the ad did not meet the paper’s standards against hate speech and should have been rejected. He condemned the message, apologized to readers, and said the company was investigating how it happened.
Gannett teams receive 14 Telly Awards[5]
Reported:
Two groups within Gannett were honored with 14 Telly Awards for video storytelling and production work: GET Creative received ten recognitions and Austin Statesman Studio received four.
Gannett announces planned furloughs and pay reductions[6]
Reported:
Gannett CEO Paul Bascobert told staff the company planned a combination of furloughs and pay reductions to address the pandemic's financial impact; many measures were expected to begin as soon as that week.
GateHouse Media completes acquisition of Gannett[7]
Reported:
GateHouse Media completed its acquisition of Gannett on November 19, 2019, in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at $1.2 billion.
Facebook introduces Facebook News[8]
Reported:
Facebook introduced Facebook News, a dedicated news section in its app, initially for select US consumers. Publishers involved at launch include The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, Business Insider, Fox News, Condé Nast and Gannett.
Sources10 sources
- 1USA Today Co.en.wikipedia.org
- 2Gannett condemns Tennessean ad and apologizes to readerstalkingpointsmemo.com
- 3Tulsa police major sues media companiesnewschannel5.com
- 4Phillips Media将收购《Baxter Bulletin》ktlo.com
- 5Gannett团队获得14项泰利奖usatoday.com
- 6Gannett宣布计划实施休假安排和减薪golocalprov.com
- 7GateHouse Media 完成对 Gannett 的收购finance.sina.com.cn
- 8Facebook推出Facebook Newsthedrum.com
- 9Facebook Launches News Feed With The Help Of Journalistsscrippsnews.com
- 10Facebook launches news service featuring curated stories from Chicago Tribune and 200 other news outletschicagotribune.com
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