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USA Weekend
Published by Gannett, USA Weekend is featured in more than 400 newspapers, with 40 million readers nationwide
In the 1990s, I consulted in various capacities for USA Weekend , including helping to produce their special travel issues and profiling candidates for their "Most Caring Coach" award.
My career's most gratifying work came when I helped to produce two very special reports, both based on large surveys of the nation's teenagers. This opportunity allowed me to explore and bring to light critically important national issues on race and gender that, until then, sat under the radar screen. That is the kind of assignment I relish: reporting that tells the sometimes-hard truth and, at the same time, educates and elevates society. Ten years later, I still remember my conversations with so many thoughtful and articulate kids.
I highlight this work here because it most resembles the approach I'm taking with the book Rollercoaster Relationship? Maybe Your Partner has Adult AD/HD. For this book, I've talked with hundreds of partners of adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and have conducted an extensive survey.
Both USA WEEKEND issues garnered important awards and numerous requests for reprints. For each, I did the following:
- Analyzed survey results from more than 220,000 respondents.
- Identified key issues based on the results and developed a storylist with this project's staff editor.
- Wrote most of those stories and collaborated on the rest.
- Interviewed hundreds of respondents, gaining in-depth understanding of their perspectives.
- Interviewed dozens of experts on the various subjects.
Special Report: "Teens and Race" In 1995, USA Weekend surveyed the nation's teenagers on the topic of "Teens and Race." This Special Report won a Unity Award in Media, which recognizes the "outstanding coverage of minority problems, issues, and concerns."
Click below to see excerpts from this issue:
Special Report: "The Gender Divide"
Based on the previous year's huge success, USA Weekend again surveyed the nation's teenagers. This time, the topic was "The Great Divide: Teens and the Gender Gap." Teens responded to questions designed to understand how boys and girls perceive they are treated differently - by the school system, their parents, and each other - and how they feel about the disparities.
This issue won a prestigious award from the Association for Women in Communication. Other winners included Newsweek, NBC Dateline, and Smithsonian Magazine.
Click below to see excerpts from this issue:
Letter from a USA Weekend interview subject
This person, whom I interviewed for another USA Weekend Special Report, read the resulting story and felt her faith in the media at least partially restored, according to this note. She also writes "I could tell you genuinely cared about people and your work."
Shape Magazine I served as consulting managing editor for the launch of Shape's new Fit Pregnancy magazine. Shape Magazine's Editor-in-Chief sent to me these comments about my work at the project's end.
Disney Adventures magazine For several years, I served as Editorial Consultant at Disney Adventures magazine, chiefly in charge of the "Technomania" section. See masthead.
University of California, San Diego In 1994, based on my knowledge of local commerce as managing editor for the San Diego Business Journal, the University of California, San Diego asked me to write the text for its annual report. UCSD wanted a meatier-than-average annual report that highlighted the integration of UCSD in local business and civic life. Annual Report cover and credits.
Gina Pera © 2007. All rights reserved
Last updated 07.07.07