About

David Colton began his career, as most journalists do, covering crime and politics at a local newspaper, in his case, the Westchester-Rockland Newspapers in suburban New York City.

He moved to USA TODAY in 1983 as a reporter, and later headed up Washington and World coverage. He oversaw coverage of politics and polling (have attended 12 national conventions), the first Gulf War, the fall of Communism, O.J. Simpson and rise of the Internet. He covered the Challenger explosion, national politics, nuclear energy, the environment and breaking news. He oversaw coverage of politics at the paper for a dozen years, attending 11 political conventions and biting his nails with the rest of the journalistic community on Election Night 2000, where the paper went through seven different front pages before declaring no one had yet won! 

As Page One Editor, he oversaw USA TODAY’s front-page story selection, design, editing, headlines, and photos. Focused especially on accuracy, balance and fairness in a news product seen by millions every day. Memorably, was Page One Editor on 9/11 (‘The page isn’t big enough,’’one of our editors said quietly before we settled on “Act of War’’ over a dramatic photo of the second plane exploding).

In his role as Executive Editor, he was in charge of USA TODAY staff, news coverage and all print products in an integrated digital newsroom. Key projects included a USA TODAY design and branding change, creation of a daily digital e-Edition, design of USA TODAY on iPad, and expansion of paid USA TODAY inserts into dozens of newspapers and websites across the USA.H

Books/Publications: Co-author with Peter Prichard of revised edition of The Making of McPaper: The Inside Story of USA TODAY; introduction to Ted Kennedy: An American Icon; introduction to Desert Warriors: The Man and Women Who Won the Gulf War; Passages, a collection of annual obituaries. Articles in The Washingtonian, other publications.

David is married to Eileen Colton (former photographer at U.S. Supreme Court); daughter Tara Colton (executive director of Seedco, a nonprofit advancing economic opportunities); two fabulous grandchildren. He is a Yankees and Springsteen fan; tennis player; founder and administrator of Classic Horror Film Board, a message board with more than half-a- billion views.

David still believes the most important thing in journalism is fairness, accuracy and the next day's newspaper.