Obviously this report doesn’t have all the answers. Questions abound.

Would a newspaper like this comply with ABC standards? What kind of equipment exists to deliver a personalized newspaper? How does this affect Accounting? How does it affect the way advertising is sold? What sections would the newspaper add?

The next step is to investigate. Convene a team of believers to answer all the questions. When a clear picture emerges, then decide whether the benefits outweigh the costs.

What if we change nothing?

Young people are our future readers and that has newspapers concerned. But the problem isn’t that young people have some aversion to printed paper, as some arguments imply.

The problem is newspapers haven’t responded to their concerns with any significant change. Tweaking coverage or adding younger voices in the newspaper isn’t the sole solution; it’s the easy one we hope will work.

Truth is newspapers need to take a dramatic step. Newspapers need to recognize the hard lessons from studies that show disinterest, from newspapers with declining circulation, and from every other ugly fact.

If newspapers choose to ignore the hard facts, there is no reason to believe the studies will change or circulation trends will suddenly reverse. These problems can be fixed.

What everyone truly wants is a newspaper that appeals only to him or her. That’s truly a modern format for the modern mainstream.