Wait, maybe we're not dying after all

It's a little spooky that when you get hundreds of newspaper executives in one room, it can start to get this Jonestown vibe, like we're all on some doomed carousel.

People keep saying this is the worst time ever for newspapers. I think that's preposterous. It's definitely one of the most challenging times to be in the business, but we're suffering as an industry because we've been lazy and selfish.

So it was nice to see a few shining beacons of excitement at the Readership Conference in Chicago. Here are some worth checking out.

Your Mom Online -- The Quad City Times in Iowa launched this Web-focused publication for and by teens last year. I had heard buzz on this site before the conference, but the editor's presentation blew me away. They've pulled off a fun site that actually treats kids like "we" instead of "they." That's a hell of a lot more challenging than most people realize. The site also comes off looking so effortless, you can tell that there's a mountain of effort going into it.

Bluffton Today -- These folks in South Carolina have taken blogging and forums to their logical extreme for local news. It's soft, I'll admit that. There's little in the way of hard news screaming at you. But the navigation is light and airy (as compared to ours...*shudder*), and the community seems to be latching on well.

The Janesville Gazette -- This Wisconsin paper recently redesigned to focus on getting lots of quick hits onto the front page. I have to say, I'm not a big fan of the teasers on the right, but the new centerpiece format is classy and reader-friendly. You can find the day's front page on the bottom left of the site.

Juan Antonio Giner -- (Sorry, no good Web links for this guy.) Juan Antonio pretty much walked away with the Best In Show at the Readership Conference. He's a Spaniard who serves as an international consultant to newspapers. He is candid, hilarious and, most importantly, dead-on. He pointed out that all major newspapers (and us smaller ones, too) continue to think the same way each day, creating a bland and repetitive product. Twenty-four hours after a plane crash, we still say, "Plane crashes!" The modern reader's left thinking "no shit." Our niche is to explain more than to simply report, he said. He really knocked my brain around, in the good, non-concussive way. I ended up in an elevator alone with him. Luckily, before I could say "You're dreamy," he told me he loved my presentation. Then I just stood there like a moron.

So maybe it's just my masochistic side, but I have to say I'm more excited than ever about working in newspapers. The challenge is finding one that's willing to quit screwing around, biting its collective nails and sighing.