Sept. 15 marks the 25th anniversary of USA Today's founding. Central Michigan University journalism professor John K. Hartman, who authored two books regarding USA Today and has been invited to participate in the paper's anniversary celebration Sept. 10 through 14 at American University in Washington, D.C., is available to speak with the media as the anniversary approaches.

Among Hartman's thoughts on the subject:

Regarding potential competition for USA Today:
"Midway through its third decade, USA Today has reached a crossroads in print and online. While it is the United States' best-read daily newspaper with a daily audience of 5 million, USA Today's readership, advertising revenue and profitability have stagnated; it is suffering from the secular slump in the newspaper industry, and new, tougher competition is on the horizon as Rupert Murdoch takes over The Wall Street Journal. Murdoch, who once reportedly offered $1 billion to buy USA Today, will soon have the presses, staff, distribution system and office functions to challenge USA Today, either by changing the Journal to directly compete for general-interest news readers or by creating a second publication to take on USA Today and the other national newspaper, The New York Times."

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