Earlier this week, Aldo praised the Washington Post for boldly expanding its web presence.

Print media is certainly trying to redefine itself, and good ol’ WaPo deserves credit for wrapping its arms around the concept of online content. Turns out it’s not the only news outlet thinking along interactive lines.

Let’s hear it for USA Today!

That’s right, USA Today, long considered the journalistic equivalent of “processed cheese food” (not the most flavorful, not the highest quality, but satisfying if you’re that hungry).

It now allows readers to comment on, rank, and come together to discuss stories. Users have avatars that represent them as they customize their news-gathering experience and interact with other readers. The most-read comments are promoted and actively become part of the coverage. There are personal spaces, dynamic tags, vastly improved searches, and a website that is designed with broadband and visual appeal in mind.

If you had asked me which source would usher in the new age, I would have probably picked USA Today a close 87^th behind MAD magazine.

Perhaps the most significant addition is not new technology, but a new mission. The paper has acknowledged what many news outlets are still struggling with: that news and the people who want it are not the same as they once were. As the statement from their editors concludes, “. . .we remain committed to respecting and reflecting the nation we serve.”

What a novel concept.