What is the USAT MEDIA CO charge on my card?

Why does it say “USAT MEDIA CO”?

USA TODAY Co. sells the subscriptions for USA TODAY and for its local papers, such as The Des Moines Register, The Tennessean or The News Journal, so the statement usually names the company and not the paper. The company was called Gannett until it changed its name, and the card line followed: public card data from the State of Delaware shows the same monthly subscriptions billed as GANNETT MEDIA CO, then as USAT MEDIA CO and most recently as USATODAY CO DIGITAL, on the same day of the month and for the same amount.

Older lines start with GAN*, Gannett's short name, followed by what was bought: NEWSPAPER SUB or NEWSPAPERSUBSCRIPT for a subscription, USA TODAY, or a paper's short name with ADV or CLASS for an advertisement or notice. In the same data, a monthly subscription to The News Journal moved from GAN*NEWSPAPER SUB to USAT NEWSPAPER SUB and now shows under the paper's own name.

Why you might see this charge

• A digital subscription to USA TODAY or a local paper renewing each month or year; it keeps renewing until it is cancelled.
• An introductory offer that ended: a small first payment, such as one dollar, followed by the full monthly price.
• A price rise at renewal: the subscription terms allow future price increases at the end of each term, and the company says it tells existing subscribers about a new rate.
• Extra charges on a print subscription: local papers add a charge for each Premium Edition, up to two a month unless you opt out, and for the Thanksgiving edition.
• A classified ad or announcement placed in a local paper, which has shown as GAN* with the paper's short name.
• A subscription a family member or colleague started with your card.

Is USAT MEDIA CO legit?

Yes. USA TODAY Co., Inc., formerly Gannett Co., Inc., is the listed company that publishes USA TODAY and runs more than 200 local news brands, and USAT MEDIA CO, GANNETT MEDIA CO and USATODAY CO DIGITAL are how its subscriptions show in public card data. Its terms say a subscription renews automatically at the introductory and other rates, subject to future price increases, until you cancel, and that payments are generally not refunded for part of a billing period.

Emails and texts that use a newspaper's name to ask for card details through a link are a separate matter; check the charge against your own inbox and statement instead.