Mr. Douglas H. McCorkindale
Chairman, Gannett Inc.
c/o Joyce Cherry
7950 Jones Branch Dr.
McLean, VA 22107
Dear Mr. McCorkindale:
At last year’s annual meeting your were forced to answer questions about the Jack Kelley scandal, in which a prominent reporter engaged in lies and distortions under the noses of USA Today editors. However, your new editor, Ken Paulson, has presided over another scandal—almost the same affair that caused the firings of four from CBS News. USA Today used the same questionable documents—from the same dubious source—in an effort to damage the reputation of President Bush during the campaign. Yet USA Today, in contrast to CBS, has not apologized or held anyone accountable. It’s tragic that Mr. Paulson is not inclined to hold his employees to the high standards he promised in the wake of the Kelley scandal. He seems to want this scandal to go away. It won’t. You must take charge.