Bookmark USA Today. It’s broken the mould of online journalism, giving more prominence to its readers than any other newspaper I have seen.

Readers can start their own blogs and post their profiles with pictures or avatars once they subscribe to the site. Subscription is free. They can also exchange information among themselves. In other words, USA Today is no longer just a newspaper. It’s also trying to become a social network. Like Flickr, YouTube, MySpace and Vox.

I have heard that some media organisations in Europe allow readers to blog, but others are deterred by various problems. One organisation in Britain was apparently worried about lawsuits should irresponsible bloggers publish libellous stories on its site.

USA Today should be praised. Not all its readers are reported to be happy with the change, but that’s not unusual: We all have our comfort zones.

I remember when USA Today was launched. I first saw it at the Oxford Bookshop on Park Street in Calcutta (Kolkata). I wasn’t impressed with its colour photos, blue name plate, presentation or layout. It was not at all like the Guardian and The Times which I loved to read at the British Council Library in Calcutta. But the difference got noticed. Few newspapers attracted as much attention as USA Today.

Now it wants to be different online as well. But let’s hope there will be imitators. Other newspapers, too, should give more space to their readers if they want to keep them. I don’t want to read a newspaper just to know what a minister or an official told the reporter. That could be easily picked up on the radio or television if it’s really important.