Because USA Today was nontraditional, the critics were numerous and fierce. In their view, the paper was loaded with gimmicks-tight, short stories; no jumps from page to page, except for the cover story (stories that jump to another page are one of newspaper readers' major complaints); splashy, colorful graphics everywhere; a distinctive, casual writing style; a colorful national weather map; a roundup of news items from each state, one paragraph each; summary boxes; little charts and
statisticsladen sports coverage; and a focus on celebrities and sports, with more detailed sports stories than almost any other paper in the nation. There was no foreign staff and little interest in the world outside the United States. It was quickly derided for its shallowness by journalists and labeled "McPaper"-junk-food journalism or the fast food of the newspaper business-due to its terse, brash writing style and its short coverage of complex issues. Even within Gannett, Neuharth met with bitter resistance from some senior executives. Nevertheless, readers admired the paper for its focus on brevity and clarity, short sentences, and short words.
Clearly, the paper filled a gap in the market, satisfying several unmet needs and wants. USA Today's success has come from listening to its readers and giving them what they want. The paper communicates with readers on a personal level very quickly (many of the short, fact-filled stories are under 250 words), clearly, and directly, in an upbeat and positive way. The color is riveting and gives the paper a contemporary look, and so is the space-defying number of stories, factoids, larger than usual pictures, bar graphs, and charts, all squeezed onto each page without seeming too crowded. Instead of confusion, readers get neatness and order. The paper's dependably consistent organization enables readers to go directly to any one of USA Today's major sections. As a result, it takes an average of only 25 minutes for a reader to peruse the paper.