From the Editor

Happy birthday to us. This month U.S. News is 75 years old. (The World Report came later.)

Starting on Page 44, we give you some highlights of where we've been. We tried not to get too carried away. Sure, it's an accomplishment for any institution to succeed for this long. And our history overlaps with some of the great stories of the 20th and 21st centuries.

As to where we're going, perhaps you've noticed that there's something of a revolution happening in the media business these days. It's an unsettled time for anyone trying to reach an audience with information.

But at U.S. News, we think two things will remain constant: our approach to news and information, and the nature of our readers.

Our readers today, whether of print or online, are the same kind of people as in 1933, 1973, or 2003. We've done the surveys and the focus groups. You care about your community, your country, and your world. You look for the most useful and relevant information you can get to make careful decisions about your family, your health, your career, and your money.

We get that. We always have. "News You Can Use" was a phrase that some bright editor made a permanent part of the magazine in 1952. We do the reporting, tell you what you need to know, and don't waste your time. We play it straight and get the facts right. In this increasingly complex world, we provide reliable information you can act on—whether it's picking a president, a health insurance plan, or a college.

We're not for everybody. We never have been. Some folks prefer a more fashionable mix of edgy opinion. That comes and goes. We're about what matters to you.

It's a simple idea that's worked for 75 years. And whether we're reaching you in print, on the Web, in an E-mail, on an iPod, or on a BlackBerry, I'd give it another 75. - Brian Kelly