On Deadline was compiled and edited by Mark Mahoney, editorial page editor of The Post-Star in Glens Falls, N.Y. If you have an innovations or inspiration you'd like to share with American Editor readers, please e-mail it to Mark at mahoney@poststar.com.

Winter 2009 Bad housekeeping seal of approval Teleconference with benefits Party on, congressman dude Hey, we’ll take it One for the good guys Yes, mr. (first name) president Bailout blackout Rotten onion

THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY TOOK PERHAPS its worst beating ever in 2008, with layoffs and sell-offs and a growing pessimism for the future of the industry itself. But like we're often accused of, we have a tendency to focus entirely on the negative. A readership report from Lee Enterprises provided at least a glimmer of hope.

The Iowa-based newspaper chain reported in September that the reach of newspapers and their online sites among young adults in its markets had grown from 54 to 64 percent over the last year. Use of the printed newspaper alone among young adults had grown from 48 to 55 percent.

Those findings were the result of comprehensive audience studies from June 2007 to June 2008 by Wilkerson & Associates in Lee's 10 largest markets.

While the findings don't necessarily represent the experiences of all newspapers around the country, they do show some progress in gaining those important young readers who have been disappearing over the decades, and the growing complementary relationship between newspapers and their Web sites.

Here are some highlights:

• Among ages 18-29, use of the printed newspaper increased from 48 percent in 2007 to 55 percent in 2008. Dual users of the newspaper and online site increased from 13 to 18 percent. Combined, the newspapers and their online sites reach 64 percent of young adults in 2008, compared with 54 percent in 2007.
• Among ages 30-39, total reach of the newspaper and its online site grew from 62 to 67 percent. Use of the printed newspaper increased from 55 to 57 percent. Dual users of both the newspapers and online sites increased from 18 to 20 percent.
• Among ages 40-59, total reach of the newspaper and its online site increased from 67 to 74 percent. Use of the printed newspaper climbed from 62 to 68 percent. Dual users of both the newspapers and online sites increased from 15 to 19 percent.

"These findings show the opposite of what is often thought to be true. More people of all ages are reading our printed newspapers as well as using our newspaper online sites," Lee Vice President Suzanna Frank said in a press release. "Our research provides a much truer measure of readership, and it indicates that the increasing popularity of our online sites has led to more readers per copy of the printed newspaper itself."*