USA Today publisher retires
Posted by Simon Day on April 1, 2009 at 6:05 AM
Craig Moon, publisher of USA Today for the past six years, announced on Tuesday that he will retire on April 17, The Associated Press reported. This marks a second high profile loss for USA Today after Editor Ken Paulson departed two months ago to work at the nonprofit Newseum and Freedom Forum. Moon, 59, said he plans to begin investing in the newspaper industry.
"Certainly, there are a lot of challenges out there, but to me there are also more and more opportunities being created," Moon said. "I am looking at numerous opportunities right now."
"Certainly, there are a lot of challenges out there, but to me there are also more and more opportunities being created," Moon said. "I am looking at numerous opportunities right now."
Moon received a US$600,000 salary in 2007, according a list of Gannett's five top paid staff. USA Today will temporarily replace Moon with Myron Maslowsky, the newspaper's senior financial official, until owner Gannett Co. names a new publisher.
Moon's departure comes at a difficult time for the newspaper. Under Moon, USA Today's circulation retained a stable readership base with 2008 figures at 2.3 million, a small decline from peak numbers of 2.34 million in 2004, the AP reported. However, circulation revenue could not prevent the revenue decline caused by the drop in advertising, and the paper raised its cover price to $1, from 75 cents, last year.
"We have had a lot of success in the past and I don't think that success has had had a lot to with the people leading the paper. It had to do with the rank and file," Moon said, according to the AP. "Gannett will find a new leader and I firmly believe USA Today won't miss a beat."
Moon's departure comes at a difficult time for the newspaper. Under Moon, USA Today's circulation retained a stable readership base with 2008 figures at 2.3 million, a small decline from peak numbers of 2.34 million in 2004, the AP reported. However, circulation revenue could not prevent the revenue decline caused by the drop in advertising, and the paper raised its cover price to $1, from 75 cents, last year.
"We have had a lot of success in the past and I don't think that success has had had a lot to with the people leading the paper. It had to do with the rank and file," Moon said, according to the AP. "Gannett will find a new leader and I firmly believe USA Today won't miss a beat."
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