The full interview timed to tomorrow's official release of Bush's heavily promoted memoir, Decision Points, is scheduled to appear in tomorrow's print edition, Jackson says. [Updated at 1:17 a.m. ET on Nov. 9: Here's the story.]USAT's interview is a major coup at a time when the paper is undergoing a big reorganization. Indeed, in the run-up to Decision Points, this New York Times story says, the question had been: Which paper would get the first interview?
Until yesterday, the NYT said, the only print interview announced was with AARP The Magazine.
Today show co-host Matt Lauer has the first broadcast interview, set for tonight. Andrew Tyndall, who publishes a TV news business newsletter, told the NYT he suspected Bush and his aides were striking a balance by selecting Lauer for the first interview.
"On the one hand, you’re looking for comfort," Tyndall said. "On the other hand, you don’t want the interview to be perceived as a series of softballs."
Earlier: In print, USAT will now focus on older readers
My sources tell me they were impressed with the toilet paper story and felt USAT would be a perfect place for their tale.
ReplyDeleteMajor coup or not, USAT is spiraling downward with each passing month. Readers aren't going to be impressed by this one interview/story. They want value in their paper every day. There is no way USAT can be consistently great anymore with decline of the print staff and leadership that is rewarded for unethical behavior.
ReplyDeleteThe worst president being interviewed by the worst newspaper. Seems fitting to me!
ReplyDeleteIf you want a softball interview, USA Today is the place to go.
ReplyDeleteMajor coup? Bush has been all over the place since Friday, with the WPost book review Sunday ("flat" in the headline), and I recall reading others.
ReplyDeleteBeating the WSJ, especially, is a big deal. Murdoch's paper is a favorite of Bush's crowd.
ReplyDeleteWhat?! I've just checked USAT's online pressroom, and the paper still hasn't put out a release promoting this "get."
ReplyDeleteThat's USA Today for ya, right on top of things. You'd think that a communication company would know a thing or two about marketing.
ReplyDeleteOh, sorry. Gannett axed most of its marketing folks about two years ago.
Circulation looked very strong for USA Today single copy last week. Voters bought papers on the way to the polls Tuesday, the Wednesday results were good, and the trend continued Thursday and Friday.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope the good numbers continue. Glad to hear it was a good week.
ReplyDeleteBush chose USAT because it's everywhere, perceived to be fair and interviewer Judy Keen is a seasoned pro who covered the White House during his term and his father's term.
ReplyDeleteI wish news-makers would read this blog. Their opinions might change about USAT being "fair" or even competent. In general, the public (readers and news-makers) hasn't detected how far USAT has fallen. It will take some time for them to realize that this isn't the same high-level, high-content, on-the-rise newspaper it once was. There are still some good people at USAT, just not enough of them to keep the paper on or near the top in the next decade. USAT is running on fumes and living off its past reputation. That can only last so long. Eventually, news-makers won't think that being in USAT is such a big deal. Subscribers won't get to read those exclusives and the whole thing will decline even further, which for some reason seems perfectly OK with the current group that runs the paper.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the decline of USAT is written about so often in this blog is evidence that where there is smoke there is fire. Even if only 10 percent of what people say here is true, that would sure be troubling to me if I were in charge of the paper.
I attribute USAT's decline to greed and insecurity. I don't think I have to explain the greed part. But equally responsible is the insecurity of many of USAT's managers, past and present and at all levels. I am a believer that managers should hire and promote people smarter than they are. But at USAT, there is an inordinate number of managers who are simply too uncomfortable in their own skins to bring in or retain highly qualified people with bright ideas and strong opinions. The result is a paper that no longer has the right stuff, the right chemistry. Now people are hunkered down, hoping to avoid being laid off by a manager with the insecurity level of a middle schooler.
My main point is that while USAT will occasionally still hit a home run, we're looking at a power hitter diminished by injuries, mismanagement and father time. USAT has forgotten its past, its former leaders. Now when it does something well, it's like a receiver scoring a touchdown and doing a ridiculous end zone celebration. My advice to USAT: Act like you've scored touchdowns before and rebuild your roster with people who know a thing or two about the business.
I'd rather read about the wikileaks and I'd rather have correct lottery information than read about an ex-president trying to sell a book.
ReplyDeleteThey could have balanced it out a little bit by interviewing, say, Michael Moore or someone besides Bush.
ReplyDelete8:31 - problem is no one gives a crap what Michael Moore says.
ReplyDelete