ABC News and USA Today Cover 50 States in 50 Days

Aug. 20, 2008— -- ABC News and USA TODAY will launch an unprecedented news project on Sept. 15 to report from every state in the nation during the 50 days leading up to the presidential election.

ABC News' anchors and correspondents and USA TODAY's reporters and photographers will report on one state each day in the run-up to the historic vote on Nov. 4.

The stories will focus on issues facing voters in their respective states. Every ABC News platform will contribute to "50 States, 50 Days," including major road trips on "Good Morning America," "World News With Charles Gibson" and "Nightline."

USA TODAY will cover seven states a week in the newspaper, with two states being featured on Mondays and Fridays. ABCNews.com and USATODAY.com will share news content and produce complementary interactive features.

"As we approach this watershed election, ABC News and USA TODAY will go to every corner of this great country to report on the hopes and concerns of Americans as they prepare to cast their votes," said David Westin, president of ABC News. "Having worked on many successful joint editorial projects over the years with USA TODAY, we could not be more pleased to partner once again with them."

"USA TODAY strives daily to reflect and respect the lives of Americans throughout the nation," said Ken Paulson, editor and senior vice president of news for USA TODAY. "That's why this partnership with ABC News is such a great fit. It provides important perspective on what matters most as we approach this pivotal election."

"What concerns voters in Montana may be very different from what concerns voters in Maine,'' said John Green, Executive Producer of Special Programming and Development at ABC News, who developed and is supervising the 50-day event. "This initiative is designed to showcase the true diversity of our nation, and how the issues differ from state to state.

ABC News and USA TODAY have partnered successfully on numerous editorial efforts in the last several years, including the Emmy award-winning series: "Iraq: Where Things Stand."

One year after the hurricane hit, the two news organizations shared resources to produce "Katrina: Where Things Stand," which featured extensive reporting on the devastating aftermath of that natural and man-made disaster.

ABC News and USA TODAY also worked together to tackle a range of health-care topics, including "Role Reversal: Your Aging Parents and You" in 2007; "Healthcare in America: Prescription for Change" in 2006; "Living Longer, Living Better" in 2005; and "The Fight Against Pain" in 2005.