U.S.News & World Report Announces the Formation of U.S. News Media Group
Washington D.C. -- U.S.News & World Report, one of the nation's leading sources of news analysis and service journalism, today announced the launch of U.S. News Media Group, reflecting the organization's evolution from a weekly magazine with a discrete website to a multi-platform digital publisher of news and analysis with a highly regarded premium magazine.
"The creation of U.S. News Media Group is simply a recognition of the successful digital evolution that we began more than a decade ago," said Mortimer Zuckerman, editor-in-chief of U.S.News & World Report. "At the same time it integrates and leverages our core assets that will continue to deliver enormous value to consumers and advertisers alike."
U.S. News Media Group includes the following properties:
• U.S.News & World Report magazine, which will be redesigned to better serve readers in the digital age, will continue to provide news analysis and in-depth coverage of health, money, education, and public affairs. The magazine will move toward publication every other week in 2009, with additional special issues devoting coverage to key world events (e.g. the U.S. presidential election).
• USNews.com, which will continue to offer dozens of new online features daily. With newly added content providers, the website will expand an array of interactive features, tools, and directories such as the A to Z Drug Directory, Heart Attack Risk Calculator, and new opinion site, in addition to the live and archived video and Webcasts, which will be streamed from the site. In 2008, the site's audience has risen to more than 5 million unique users, up from 2 million unique visitors in 2005.
• U.S. News's highly respected "Bests" franchise, which for more than 20 years has provided rankings information on the nation's best hospitals, colleges, graduate schools, and careers, and has continued to expand in recent years with leaders, health plans, pediatric hospitals, high schools, black colleges, and places to retire.
• RankingsAndReviews.com, a growing online resource that eliminates the confusing and cumbersome task of sorting through conflicting consumer product purchasing information, allowing consumers to easily make smart product choices. The site launched "Best Cars & Trucks" in fall 2007, the only online consumer resource that captures and analyzes validated data and expert opinions from many leading sources of automotive information in one place, providing consumers with an augmented "review of reviews."
• U.S. News Specialty Publishing, which includes Collector's Editions ("Secrets of the Civil War"), Commemorative Issues (special issues for major news events like 9/11), and Sourcebooks that include the Ultimate College Guide, the Ultimate Guide to Law Schools, and the Ultimate Guide to Medical Schools (all of which are No.1 guides to schools in the country).
• U.S. News Newsletters, which will expand its publication of daily and weekly E-newsletters providing consumers with specialized information in the fields of health, money, education, and politics.
"The changes taking place reflect our long-term strategy and are directly beneficial to our business, our readers, and our advertisers," said Bill Holiber, president of U.S. News Media Group. "With this new entity and identity comes the ability to expand our opportunities as a forward-thinking, leading media publisher."
U.S. News Media Group will continue its success in the marketplace by offering readers an integrative and interactive journalism experience and by primarily centering its coverage on topics of Health, Money & Business, Education, and Public Service/Opinion.
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