USA Today Launches
On September 15, 1982, 155,000 copies of the newspaper's first edition hit the newsstands. On page one, founder Neuharth wrote a short summary of USA Today's mission statement, explaining that he wanted to make USA Today enlightening and enjoyable to the public, informative to national leaders, and attractive to advertisers. The first issue sold out. A little over a month following its debut, USA Today's circulation hit 362,879-double the original year-end projection. In April 1983, just seven months after its introduction, the newspaper's circulation topped the 1 million mark. Case Exhibit 1 illustrates USA Today's growth in circulation over time. The typical reader turned out to be a professional, usually a manager, about 40 years old, well educated, with an income of about $60,000
a year. The typical reader was also a news or sports junkie.