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Al Neuharth obituary Al Neuharth obituary
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USA Today, the Monday to Friday daily launched in 1982 by Al Neuharth, who has died aged 89, was the US's first general national newspaper. It now has a circulation of about 1.8m and is a familiar sight across the US, with its white title on a sky-blue box and its colourful front page.USA Today, the Monday to Friday daily launched in 1982 by Al Neuharth, who has died aged 89, was the US's first general national newspaper. It now has a circulation of about 1.8m and is a familiar sight across the US, with its white title on a sky-blue box and its colourful front page.
When the paper first arrived, critics derided it as "McPaper" and one news agency noted its "rented presses". That typified the scepticism, even scorn, from a dull and complacent American mainstream press. USA Today's bright format and shorter articles would have been familiar to British readers, but Americans expected their metropolitan dailies to be wordy, ponderous, grey and unadventurous.When the paper first arrived, critics derided it as "McPaper" and one news agency noted its "rented presses". That typified the scepticism, even scorn, from a dull and complacent American mainstream press. USA Today's bright format and shorter articles would have been familiar to British readers, but Americans expected their metropolitan dailies to be wordy, ponderous, grey and unadventurous.
The new paper's extra-sized sports section and national weather map, in colour and all over the back page, encouraged further dismissive attitudes. True, there were curious features: little boxes offering odd information, soon labelled "factoids". No lengthy inside-politics articles appeared, and the writing resembled Fleet Street popular broadsheets of the 1960s.The new paper's extra-sized sports section and national weather map, in colour and all over the back page, encouraged further dismissive attitudes. True, there were curious features: little boxes offering odd information, soon labelled "factoids". No lengthy inside-politics articles appeared, and the writing resembled Fleet Street popular broadsheets of the 1960s.
Neuharth himself was frank about his inspiration for the paper: television. "It all came from the tube," he recalled in 2004. "The weather map, for example, is a direct steal … We were trying to give readers what they'd already learned to love on television – colour, a lot of pizzazz, graphics, maximum information in minimum time, all that stuff."Neuharth himself was frank about his inspiration for the paper: television. "It all came from the tube," he recalled in 2004. "The weather map, for example, is a direct steal … We were trying to give readers what they'd already learned to love on television – colour, a lot of pizzazz, graphics, maximum information in minimum time, all that stuff."
Distribution difficulties across a continent caused losses of millions for years. But Neuharth knew that almost half of Americans lived away from their birthplaces, and that a national US paper would satisfy a need. USA Today went on to rival the Wall Street Journal for the highest circulation in the US, forced the New York Times to expand its nationwide distribution, and made the big newspapers adopt colour, brighter graphics and livelier writing. It also encouraged other papers to increase the number of women and ethnically diverse journalists in their newsrooms.Distribution difficulties across a continent caused losses of millions for years. But Neuharth knew that almost half of Americans lived away from their birthplaces, and that a national US paper would satisfy a need. USA Today went on to rival the Wall Street Journal for the highest circulation in the US, forced the New York Times to expand its nationwide distribution, and made the big newspapers adopt colour, brighter graphics and livelier writing. It also encouraged other papers to increase the number of women and ethnically diverse journalists in their newsrooms.
A childhood in rural, freezing, South Dakota during the 1930s depression was an unlikely beginning for one of America's great newspaper publishers. Neuharth was born in Eureka, near the North Dakota border, the second son of a German family in which the language was still spoken. His father, a farmer, died after an accident when Al was 22 months old and his mother moved to another village where she did laundry, sewed and cleaned to support her sons.A childhood in rural, freezing, South Dakota during the 1930s depression was an unlikely beginning for one of America's great newspaper publishers. Neuharth was born in Eureka, near the North Dakota border, the second son of a German family in which the language was still spoken. His father, a farmer, died after an accident when Al was 22 months old and his mother moved to another village where she did laundry, sewed and cleaned to support her sons.
Neuharth delivered the local newspaper and also contributed to his high school publication. During the second world war he served as an infantryman in Europe and the Pacific before studying journalism on the GI bill at the University of South Dakota. There he became editor of the college paper, and worked for local ones between terms.Neuharth delivered the local newspaper and also contributed to his high school publication. During the second world war he served as an infantryman in Europe and the Pacific before studying journalism on the GI bill at the University of South Dakota. There he became editor of the college paper, and worked for local ones between terms.
After graduation, Neuharth reported for the Associated Press news agency and started a sports paper in South Dakota. It went broke in two years and he moved to the Miami Herald. Soon, his intense ambition caused him to switch to the editorial management side, but he realised that reaching the top of the firm that owned the Herald was impossible.After graduation, Neuharth reported for the Associated Press news agency and started a sports paper in South Dakota. It went broke in two years and he moved to the Miami Herald. Soon, his intense ambition caused him to switch to the editorial management side, but he realised that reaching the top of the firm that owned the Herald was impossible.
So he went to the Detroit Free Press, becoming its assistant executive editor and then rising higher in its management company, the Gannett chain. He was appointed president of Gannett in 1970 and chairman in 1979, retiring in 1989 after vastly expanding the firm's ownership of papers across the US. His autobiography, Confessions of an SOB (1989), was a bestseller and he wrote half a dozen other books. He lived for decades in Cocoa Beach, Florida.So he went to the Detroit Free Press, becoming its assistant executive editor and then rising higher in its management company, the Gannett chain. He was appointed president of Gannett in 1970 and chairman in 1979, retiring in 1989 after vastly expanding the firm's ownership of papers across the US. His autobiography, Confessions of an SOB (1989), was a bestseller and he wrote half a dozen other books. He lived for decades in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
Into his 80s, he continued his weekly column in USA Today, and outraged many readers in his 2004 Christmas offering by saying that withdrawing US troops from Iraq should be America's new year's resolution. Neuharth, a holder of the Bronze Star, confessed: "If I were eligible for service in Iraq, I would do all I could to avoid it." For that he was branded "traitor" in angry emails.Into his 80s, he continued his weekly column in USA Today, and outraged many readers in his 2004 Christmas offering by saying that withdrawing US troops from Iraq should be America's new year's resolution. Neuharth, a holder of the Bronze Star, confessed: "If I were eligible for service in Iraq, I would do all I could to avoid it." For that he was branded "traitor" in angry emails.
Neuharth was twice divorced. He is survived by his third wife, Rachel, and their six children, Alexis, Karina, twins Andre and Ariana, and twins Ali and Rafi; and by a son, Dan, and daughter, Jan, from his first marriage.Neuharth was twice divorced. He is survived by his third wife, Rachel, and their six children, Alexis, Karina, twins Andre and Ariana, and twins Ali and Rafi; and by a son, Dan, and daughter, Jan, from his first marriage.
• Allen Harold Neuharth, journalist and newspaper publisher, born 22 March 1924; died 19 April 2013• Allen Harold Neuharth, journalist and newspaper publisher, born 22 March 1924; died 19 April 2013
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