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The study used five categories to evaluate the news outlets:
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Corrections: Willingness to openly correct mistakes.
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Ownership: Openness about corporate ownership.
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Staff Policies: Openness about conflicts of interest.
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Reporting Policies: Openness about editorial guidelines.
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| Interactivity: Openness to reader comments and criticism. |
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Excellent |
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Very Good |
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Average |
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Poor |
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Not Acceptable |
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|
 |
Overall Score |
Corrections |
Ownership |
Staff Policies |
Reporting Policies |
Interactivity |
| 11. USA Today |
1.4 |
 |
 |
 |
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Ranking: Poor. |
| Details of Findings: |
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No corrections page could be found on the web site or through search engines. USA Today did provide under it’s “Contact Us/Feedback” page, a contact name, phone number and e-mail address to an editor that handles corrections – under the "Commitment to Accuracy" sub-heading. There was not an option to specifically correct individual stories (but readers can comment on them). |
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At the bottom of every page, next to the Copyright 2007 label, it adds that USA Today is “a division of Gannett Co. Inc.” The only place we could find a link was at the bottom of the Contact Us/Feedback" page. |
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No information found about conflicts of interests or the paper’s policy on the matter. After a search, a Gannett Code of Ethics was found on the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE.org). But, that was last updated July 9, 1999. |
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The web site offers readers a few options to let them voice their concerns with the publication. For example, USA Today offers readers to “become a member of the USA Today community.” Once a reader signs up for the free service, they can join forums (according to the site, a forum is a platform for readers to “openly discuss each others stories and topics interests.” Everyone can browse, but only members can participate. but, you have to be a member to “interact with our expert journalists” and “add comments and reviews throughout the entire” web site. |
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The web site offers a Contact Us/Feedback page. There, whether a member or not, a reader can access contact information of some of the publication’s staff. There is also an “Opinion” section. There, readers and columnists share space. USA Today also offers many staff-written blogs about a wide variety of topics. USA Today has a “Talk Today” section where readers can chat with experts and discuss opinions about various topics in the news. |
(Nicole Alberico and Catherine Citroni) |
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| About USA Today |
| Circulation/Audience |
| 2,272,815 daily (May 2006) |
| Online Access |
| No log-in needed. |
| Parent Company |
| Gannett Co. http://www.gannett.com/ |
| Other Relevant Ownership and Interests |
-90 Newspapers http://www.gannett.com/web/gan013.htm
-23 television stations http://www.gannett.com/about/company_profile.htm |
| Parent Company Revenue |
| $7.6 Billion |
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