Production: Specifications Overview

Download the information below in PDF format:

2009 Digital File Specifications

General

USA WEEKEND is printed rotogravure on 30# newsprint, using four color process inks. We do not use spot or Pantone colors.

Color separation and printing tones:

Maximum overprint of a separation or tint build should not exceed 320%. Only one color may be solid. The lightest tone that can be held on press is 5%. Builds that contain less than 5% of any of the four colors cannot be reproduced consistently.

Type reproduction:

The minimum font size should not be less than 8-point. Fine typefaces (thin lines, serifs) should be restricted to one color. The word “ADVERTISEMENT” in 10-point Helvetica bold is required at the top of all editorial-style ads.

Advertisement Delivery

Digital files are accepted via our FTP Site, Wam!Net, AP AdSend and CD. USA TODAY does not accept ads via email. Contact us for other delivery options as needed.

FTP Site

Preparing ad material for FTP upload:

Please submit files in a PDF format. PDFs should include high-resolution images and all PostScript Type 1/embedded. Make sure your images are not tiled nor have lowered resolutions from distillation.
Limit PDF filename to 25 characters or less.
Archiving PDF is only necessary if size exceeds 50 MB.
Keep files names simple, limited to letters and numbers only. DO NOT use any spaces or special characters such as #?/()-*~etc.
Examples of naming convention: Advertisername.pdf; Advertisername.sea; Advertisername.sit; Advertisername.zip

Instructions for uploading an ad via the Internet to our FTP site:

Log on to http://etransfer.usaweekend.com. The site works best with the Firefox browser. Safari and Explorer can also be used with some limitations.
Ad Submission page: please fill out as many of the individual fields as possible. The fields with red asterisks are required. Double-check to make sure your email address is keyed in correctly. Attach ad file in bottom field using the “Browse” button.
Confirmation page: a message will appear when ad is successfully transferred.

AP AdSend

This service uses the PDF format only. For more information, contact AdSend.

Wam!Net

CD

Labeling on the disk should include: advertiser name, file name, issue date, agency name, phone number and vendor contact. Please find the shipping address at the end of this section.

Formats

If supplying a desktop application file:

USA WEEKEND accepts page files created in: Adobe InDesign (2.0, CS–CS3) or QuarkXPress (4.11–7.x), and support images and artwork created in Adobe PhotoShop (7.x, CS–CS3) and Adobe Illustrator (10.x, CS–CS3).

Use only Type 1 fonts (no TrueType fonts).
Resolution of images should be 300 dpi.
All images must be CMYK, grayscale or bitmap in an EPS format (no JPEG or DCS).
Use of the “Package” function in InDesign or “Collect for Output” function in QuarkXPress is recommended to ensure all necessary files and fonts are provided along with the document file.
File names should not include any special characters, such as a forward-slash, back-slash, asterisk or punctuation mark.

If supplying a PDF or PDF/X-1a:

All high-resolution images and fonts must be embedded in PDF/X-1a file.
Use only Type 1 fonts (no TrueType fonts).
Resolution of images should be 300 dpi.
All images must be CMYK, grayscale or bitmap in an EPS format (no JPEG or DCS).
Include standard trim, registration and center marks 1/2” outside of the image area.
File names should not include any special characters, such as a forward-slash, back-slash, asterisk or punctuation mark.

Proofs

USA WEEKEND requires 2 proofs to match the supplied ad. Please prepare proofs to SWOP standards. All advertisers must supply a proof regardless of delivery method.

Deadlines

Advertising material for all rate card standard units is due 25 days before the issue date. Any special units not listed on rate card may carry a different ad close and material delivery deadline. Contact the McLean Ad Traffic Team at 703.854.6277 for deadline details.

Shipping Address

If using conventional delivery methods please ship materials to:

USA WEEKEND
7950 Jones Branch Drive
Advertising Operations, 2nd Floor
McLean, VA 22108
703.854.5200