Born at the 'USA'

There's a new Web site redesign, first since 2007, over at USAToday.com. Here's how they describe it in a release:

USA TODAY, the nation’s top-selling print newspaper and a leading online destination, announces a newly designed home page for USATODAY.com. Launched in 1995, this is the first major redesign for the news and information site since 2007, when USATODAY.com launched the concept of network journalism, becoming the first major newspaper website to allow user commenting and community engagement. A video tour of the newly designed home page can be seen at: redesign.usatoday.com.

“Over the last few years we at USATODAY.com have been listening to feedback, watching users engage with our site and analyzing usage patterns,” said Jeff Webber, publisher of USA TODAY.com. “We believe these improvements to USATODAY.com improve our home page, better serving our readers and offering new opportunities for our partners.”

The new USATODAY.com offers a cleaner and simpler navigation and experience, making it easier for users to find the content they are looking for. There is also a noticeable increase in performance with the new page loading 25 to 35% faster, giving users the news they need as quickly as possible. Initially launching just on the home page, design changes will spread throughout the rest of USATODAY.com over several weeks in the beginning of 2010.